The surgical results of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung

We reviewed 18 patients with pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), who had undergone resection of lung cancer in our hospital. In microscopic findings, neuroendocrine morphology and necrosis were detected in all cases. The average mitoses of all cases was 77/high-power field. In immunohistochemisty, neuroendocrine-marker expression was detected in 12 cases (67%). Lobectomy was performed in 15 patients, segmentectomy in 2 and partial resection in 1. There were 10 stage I-diseases, one stage II-disease, 6 stage III-diseases and one stage IV-disease. Overall 5-year survival rate of LCNEC was 60%. This result was between atypical carcinoid and small cell lung cancer in the group of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor. In stage I and II disease, 5-year survival rate was 60% in LCNEC, 55% in adenocarcinoma, 55% in squamous cell carcinoma and 58% in large cell carcinoma. 5-year survival rate was not significantly different between LCNEC and other histological subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer. Our results suggested the surgical resection was the initial indication for the stage I, II disease of LCNEC.