High-grade Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Research Articles

Does subtyping of high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas have an impact on therapy selection?

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC) are characterized by a rapid progressive course. Therapy for SCLC has not much changed for decades, and in LCNEC controversies exist, favoring either SCLC-like or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-like therapy. Three subtypes of SCLC identified in cell cultures, namely ASCL1, NeuroD1, and POU2F3 have been confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The fourth type based on the expression of YAP1 was questioned, and another type, inflamed SCLC, was proposed. SCLC and LCNEC samples were investigated by immunohistochemistry for different subtypes. Additionally, immunohistochemical markers as potential tools to identify patients who might respond to targeted treatment were investigated. For validation a biopsy set was added. ASCL1, NeuroD1, and POU2F3 were expressed in different percentages in SCLC and LCNEC. Similar percentages of expression were found in biopsies. ATOH was expressed in combination with one of the subtypes. YAP1 and TAZ were expressed in some SCLC and LCNEC cases. HES1 expression was seen in few cases. Predominantly stroma cells expressed programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). The dominant MYC protein was N-MYC. Aurora kinase A (AURKA) was expressed in the majority of both carcinomas, whereas fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) in few. SCLC and LCNEC can be subtyped into ASCL1-, NeuroD1-, and POU2F3-positive types. AURKA expression and positivity for N-MYC protein was not associated with subtypes. AURKA and FGFR2 are both possible targets for inhibition in SCLC and LCNEC, but patients' selection should be based on expression of the enzyme. Combined chemo- and immunotherapy might be decided by PD-L1 staining of stroma cells.

Molecular Subtypes of Extra-pulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinomas Identified by the Expression of Neuroendocrine Lineage-Specific Transcription Factors

Extra-pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas (EPNEC) represent a group of rare and heterogenous neoplasms with adverse clinical outcome. Their molecular profile is largely unexplored. Our aim was to investigate if the major transcriptional drivers recently described in high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas characterize distinct molecular and clinical subgroups of EPNEC. Gene expression of ASCL1, NEUROD1, DLL3, NOTCH1, INSM1, MYCL1, POU2F3, and YAP1 was investigated in a series of 54 EPNEC (including 10 cases with mixed components analyzed separately) and in a group of 48 pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (P-LCNEC). Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis classified the whole series into four major clusters. P-LCNEC were classified into two major clusters, the first ASCL1/DLL3/INSM1-high and the second (including four EPNEC) ASCL1/DLL3-low but INSM1-high. The remaining EPNEC cases were sub-classified into two other clusters. The first showed INSM1-high and alternative ASCL1/DLL3 or NEUROD1 high expression. The second was characterized mainly by MYCL1 and YAP1 overexpression. In the ten cases with mixed histology, ASCL1, DLL3, INSM1, and NEUROD1 genes were significantly upregulated in the neuroendocrine component. Higher gene-expression levels of NOTCH1 and INSM1 were associated with lower pT stage and negative nodal status. Low INSM1 gene expression was associated with shorter overall survival in the entire case series (p = 0.0017) and with a trend towards significance in EPNEC, only (p = 0.06). In conclusion, our results show that EPNEC possess distinct neuroendocrine-lineage-specific transcriptional profiles; moreover, low INSM1 gene expression represents a novel potential unfavorable prognostic marker in high-grade NECs including those in extra-pulmonary location.

Utility of secretagogin as a marker for the diagnosis of lung neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Small-cell lung cancers (SCLC) and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC) are two types of high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). Diagnostic neuroendocrine markers commonly include synaptophysin, chromogranin A, CD56, and insulinoma-associated protein 1 (INSM1). In this study, the utility of secretagogin (SCGN) was examined in the context of pulmonary NEC diagnosis. The study included 71 pulmonary NEC cases (18 SCLCs, 13 combined-SCLCs, 23 LCNECs, and 17 combined-LCNECs). Immunohistochemical stains of SCGN, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, CD56, and INSM1 were performed on whole tumor sections. The stains were evaluated based on combined staining intensity and the proportion of positive tumor cells. At least mild staining intensity in at least 1% of the cells was considered positive. Bioinformatic studies showed specific SCGN expression in neuroendocrine cells and NECs. SCGN showed diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in NECs with intra-tumoral heterogeneity. The non-neuroendocrine components were negative. The sensitivity of SCGN was no better than the other established neuroendocrine markers based on all NECs combined or LCNECs/c-LCNECs only. However, the sensitivity of SCGN (71%) was higher than chromogranin A (68%) for SCLCs/c-SCLCs only. The average proportion of SCGN positive tumor cells was 8% higher than chromogranin A (22% versus 14%, P = 0.0332) in all NECs and 18% higher for SCLC and c-SCLC cases only (32% versus 13%, P = 0.0054). The above data showed that SCGN could be used as a supplemental neuroendocrine marker to diagnose SCLC.

Clinical Outcomes of Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Surgically Resected High-Grade Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

Introduction: Data on the clinical outcomes of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for surgically resected high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma (HGNEC) (large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and small-cell lung cancer) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with HGNEC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with surgically resected HGNEC at five institutions in Japan between January 2006 and May 2016. Results: A total of 143 patients were enrolled. Among them, 65 received adjuvant chemotherapy. Four patients who participated in clinical trials were excluded; the remaining 61 patients were included in the study. Fifty-six patients received adjuvant small-cell lung cancer-based chemotherapy. Twenty-five of 29 patients who relapsed after postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy received chemotherapy. The most commonly administered chemotherapy agent was amrubicin. The 3-year relapse-free and overall survival rates were 55.2% and 66.8%, respectively. The median relapse-free and overall survival times for the 25 patients who received chemotherapy after relapse were 12.9 and 27.5 months, respectively. Among them, 22 relapsed within 2 years. Patients who received platinum-doublet chemotherapy after relapse tended to have better time to progression disease and overall survival than those who received single-agent chemotherapy. Conclusions: Most patients with HGNEC received small-cell lung cancer-based regimens as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Those who relapsed after adjuvant chemotherapy were mainly treated with amrubicin. Our findings suggest that platinum-doublet chemotherapy tends to improve the time to progression disease and overall survival in patients who relapse after postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Phase I study of the 177Lu-DOTA0-Tyr3-Octreotate (lutathera) in combination with nivolumab in patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the lung

BackgroundLutathera is a 177Lutetium-labeled somatostatin analog approved for the treatment of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Somatostatin receptors are expressed in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, may...

The prognostic nutritional index in resected high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma.

The prognostic nutritional index is a potential predictive indicator in other cancers and can be easily determined at low cost. To identify useful prognostic markers for high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas, we examined the prognostic significance of the prognostic nutritional index in patients with resected high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma. We retrospectively reviewed perioperative clinical and laboratory data of patients who underwent pulmonary resection for high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma between January 2000 and December 2014. Associations between the preoperative prognostic nutritional index and the patients' clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed to determine its prognostic significance. The study comprised 61 patients, the majority of whom were men (85%). The median age was 70.0years, and the median follow-up period was 42months. No significant differences in the clinicopathological characteristics were observed between the high and low prognostic nutritional index groups. The 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival times were significantly shorter in the low prognostic nutritional index group than in the high prognostic nutritional index group (78.8% vs. 51.4% and 71.7% vs. 34.5%, respectively; p < 0.05). The prognostic nutritional index was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 2.419, 95.0% confidence interval: 1.044-5.606; p < 0.05). A significantly greater proportion of patients developed distant metastases in the low prognostic nutritional index group than in the high prognostic nutritional index group (p < 0.05). A low prognostic nutritional index is associated with poor survival in patients with resected high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma.

JCES 01.17 The Correlation of DLL3 Expression with High-Grade Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Clinicopathologic Features and Prognose

Rovalpituzumab tesirine is a promising first-in-class DLL3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate for the treatment of HGNECs. In clinical practice, biopsies are often rendered for diagnoses of HGNECs before treatment. We tested DLL3 in paired biopsy and surgical specimens, aiming to assess the reliability of the scoring system in biopsy specimens and the correlation with HGNEC clinical characteristics and prognoses. A total of 378 patients with de novo HGNECs, including 43 LCNECs and 335 SCLCs, were recruited between 2006 and 2015. All 43 LCNECs and 42 of 335 SCLCs had paired biopsy and surgical excision specimens, and the remaining 293 SCLCs had only biopsies. Immunohistochemical evaluation of DLL3 expression was performed using anti-DLL3 antibody (Abcam, ab103102) and was determined using immunohistochemical H score (HS). No significant differences of DLL3 expression levels were observed in paired biopsy and excision specimens of LCNECs and SCLCs (Fig B-C). Discordant DLL3 results (high, HS >150 vs low, HS ≤150) in paired specimens were observed in none of LCNECs and 2 of 42 SCLCs. DLL3 levels were significantly higher (p = 0.015) in all SCLCs (n = 335, median HS 200, IQR 100-300) than in LCNECs (n = 43, HS 160, IQR 100-200; Figure D). SCLCs with high DLL3 levels were more frequently male (p = 0.037), smokers (p = 0.019), and TTF-1 positive (p = 0.005) than SCLCs with low DLL3. SCLCs with low DLL3 experienced a superior overall survival compared with SCLCs with high DLL3, with the difference, however, not reaching statistical significance (p = 0.077; Fig F). Biopsy specimen is a reliable material for evaluating DLL3 expression, which is equivalent to surgical specimen in a large percentage of HGNECs. High DLL3 level in SCLCs demonstrate a correlation with smoking history, TTF1 (neuroendocrine differentiation) and a trend of poor survival.

OA 08.02 The Correlation of DLL3 Expression with High-Grade Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Clinicopathologic Features and Prognoses

Rovalpituzumab tesirine is a promising first-in-class DLL3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate for the treatment of HGNECs. In clinical practice, biopsies are often rendered for diagnoses of HGNECs before treatment. We tested DLL3 in paired biopsy and surgical specimens, aiming to assess the reliability of the scoring system in biopsy specimens and the correlation with HGNEC clinical characteristics and prognoses. A total of 378 patients with de novo HGNECs, including 43 LCNECs and 335 SCLCs, were recruited between 2006 and 2015. All 43 LCNECs and 42 of 335 SCLCs had paired biopsy and surgical excision specimens, and the remaining 293 SCLCs had only biopsies. Immunohistochemical evaluation of DLL3 expression was performed using anti-DLL3 antibody (Abcam, ab103102) and was determined using immunohistochemical H score (HS). No significant differences of DLL3 expression levels were observed in paired biopsy and excision specimens of LCNECs and SCLCs (Fig B-C). Discordant DLL3 results (high, HS > 150 vs low, HS ≤ 150) in paired specimens were observed in none of LCNECs and 2 of 42 SCLCs. DLL3 levels were significantly higher (p = 0.015) in all SCLCs (n = 335, median HS 200, IQR 100-300) than in LCNECs (n = 43, HS 160, IQR 100-200; Fig D). SCLCs with high DLL3 levels were more frequently male (p = 0.037), smokers (p = 0.019), and TTF-1 positive (p = 0.005) than SCLCs with low DLL3. SCLCs with low DLL3 experienced a superior overall survival compared with SCLCs with high DLL3, with the difference, however, not reaching statistical significance (p = 0.077; Fig F). Biopsy specimen is a reliable material for evaluating DLL3 expression, which is equivalent to surgical specimen in a large percentage of HGNECs. High DLL3 level in SCLCs demonstrate a correlation with smoking history, TTF1 (neuroendocrine differentiation) and a trend of poor survival.

Argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) deficiency in high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma: an opportunity for personalized targeted therapy.

Cells deficient in argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) must absorb the arginine they need for growth from circulating blood. Treatment with pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG 20) selectively eliminates arginine from the circulation and has shown some efficacy against ASS-deficient tumors including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We sought to assess ASS expression in a cohort of high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas (PNEC) which include SCLC and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Sixty-nine PNEC (49 SCLC and 20 LCNEC) were retrieved from our pathology archives. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of the 54 primary tumors, 15 metastases and appropriate positive and negative controls were immunostained using an ASS-specific monoclonal antibody. Positive staining in <30 % of the tumor was scored as weak; staining in ≥30 % of the tumor was scored as strong. The absence of staining in the tumor was recorded as ASS negative. 58 % of the PNEC including 61.2 % of the SCLC and 50 % of the LCNEC were ASS negative. These ASS-negative tumors included 63 % of the primary and 40 % of the metastatic lesions tested. More than 50 % of the high-grade PNEC tested lack immunohistochemically detectable ASS, suggesting that they are auxotrophic for arginine and potential candidates for arginine deprivation therapy. PNEC comprise about 25 % of primary lung cancers and have a 5-year overall survival of only 5-10 %, underscoring the need for new and more effective therapies. Immunostaining for ASS has potential to improve the selection of patients with PNEC for arginine deprivation therapy with ADI-PEG 20.

A pilot study of adjuvant chemotherapy with irinotecan and cisplatin for completely resected high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma (large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and small cell lung cancer)

BackgroundLarge cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are recognized as high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas (HGNEC) of the lung. In patients with completely resected HGNEC, platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy may be considered. However, the optimum chemotherapy regimen has not been determined. We conducted a multicenter single-arm phase II trial to evaluate irinotecan and cisplatin in postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for HGNEC patients. Patients and methodsPatients with completely resected stage I–IIIA HGNEC received four cycles of irinotecan (60mg/m2, day 1, 8, 15) plus cisplatin (60mg/m2, day 1). This regimen was repeated every 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the rate of completion of chemotherapy (defined as having undergone three or four cycles), and secondary endpoints were the rate of 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS), rate of 3-year survival and toxicities. ResultsForty patients were enrolled between September 2007 and April 2010. Patients’ characteristics were: median age (range) 65 [45–73] years; male 85%; ECOG-PS 1 60%; LCNEC 57% and SCLC 43%; stage IA/IB/IIB/IIIA 32/35/8/5%; 95% received lobectomy. The rate of completion of chemotherapy was 83% (90%C.I.; 71–90%). The rate of overall survival at 3 years was estimated at 81%, and that of RFS at 3 years was 74%. The rates of overall survival and RFS at 3 years were 86 and 74% among 23 LCNEC patients, and 74 and 76% among 17 SCLC patients, respectively. Nineteen patients (48%) experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, but only five patients (13%) developed febrile neutropenia. Two patients (5%) developed grade 3 diarrhea, and four patients (10%) had grade 3 nausea. No treatment-related deaths were observed in this study. All 40 specimens were also diagnosed as HGNEC by central pathological review. ConclusionsThe combination of irinotecan and cisplatin as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was feasible and possibly efficacious for resected HGNEC.

Aberrant anaplastic lymphoma kinase expression in high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma

AimsIn lung cancer with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement, accurate diagnosis is essential to identify patients who can be treated with a specific kinase inhibitor. Sensitive ALK immunostaining can...

A subset of high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas shows up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-7 associated with nuclear β-catenin immunoreactivity, independent of EGFR and HER-2 gene amplification or expression

Nuclear translocation of beta-catenin has been correlated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression/activation in non-small cell lung cancer. Less is known on beta-catenin transactivation in high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors and on the status of beta-catenin activating EGFR and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) or beta-catenin target genes cyclin D1 and matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7). beta-catenin immunoreactivity was evaluated in 51 large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC) and 45 small-cell lung carcinomas (SCLC). Nineteen cases were assessed for beta-catenin gene exon 3 mutations, expression of MMP-7, and expression/gene amplification of EGFR, HER-2, and cyclin D1. beta-catenin was expressed in all 96 high-grade neuroendocrine tumors, the vast majority (94%) showing >50% immunopositive cells. A disarrayed immunoreactivity, however, was commonly encountered consisting in variably altered membrane-associated patterns of staining along with progressive accumulation of cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. In LCNEC, but not in SCLC, the disarrayed patterns correlated with EGFR and HER-2 protein expression. beta-catenin nuclear accumulation was found in nine tumors, including seven LCNEC and two SCLC, and was always associated with disarrayed immunoreactivity and increased MMP-7, but not cyclin D1 expression. These cases, however, did not show beta-catenin gene mutations or EGFR and HER-2 gene amplification or expression. No association was found between nuclear beta-catenin and any clinicopathological variable including patients' survival. The subcellular compartmentalization of beta-catenin is profoundly altered in high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors. A minor subset of these tumors shows beta-catenin nuclear accumulation in association with increased expression of MMP-7, but not of cyclin D1, independent of EGFR and HER-2 gene amplification or expression.

Diagnosis of high-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma by fine-needle aspiration biopsy: nonsmall-cell or small-cell type?

A consensus optimal therapy for large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung has not been achieved since this entity was proposed in 1991. Accumulation of clinical data and investigation, however, can be greatly impeded by erroneous cytological diagnosis, based on which treatment may be initiated. To avoid erroneous diagnoses, cytological criteria need to be defined. Twenty cases of fine-needle aspiration specimens with a diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumor by either cytology or follow-up histology were retrospectively reviewed for cytomorphologic features. Patients' clinical data were also reviewed. Three cytomorphologic patterns were identified for large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, i.e., nonsmall-cell-like, small-cell-like and, mixed nonsmall-cell-small-cell-like. Small-cell-like large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma can be mistaken for small-cell carcinoma. The most important differential features between these two entities are nuclear size and perceptibility of nucleoli of tumor cells.