Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Research Articles

Radiological evidence of rapid growth acceleration of a small part solid nodule found to be large-cell carcinoma of the lung

BackgroundWith the widespread use of low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening, the detection rate of pulmonary lesions manifesting as ground-glass opacities (GGOs) has been increasing dramatically. The volume doubling time (VDT) has been introduced in clinical practice to monitor the potential growth rate of GGOs during long-term follow-up periods.Case presentationA 72-year-old never-smoker female diagnosed with mixed GGO manifested abruptly accelerated growth with sudden decreased VDT from 400 to 36 days. A thoracoscopic left lower lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed, and the diagnosis was stage IB large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Next-generation sequencing of the tumor highlights an EML4-ALK gene fusion.ConclusionsThe LCNEC may present as GGO with longer VDT in the early stage. VDT should calculate by the whole size either on the entire tumor diameter or on consolidation diameter. It is recommended that meticulous long-term follow-up with dynamic VDT monitoring may help select high-risk GGOs performing timely semi-elective surgical resection in clinical practice.

Development and Validation of A Prognostic Nomogram to Guide Decision-making in Lung Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

Lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare and highly malignant lung tumor with a poor prognosis. Currently, most research on LCNEC is based on retrospective studies and lacks validation in the real world. The study aims to identify independent risk factors and establish and validate a predictive model for the prognosis of LCNEC. Patient data were extracted from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) and our department's hospitalization records from 2010 to 2015 and 2016 to 2020, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate overall survival (OS). OS is defined as the time from diagnosis to death or last follow-up for a patient. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify significant prognostic factors and construct a Nomogram for predicting the prognosis of LCNEC. In total, 1892 LCNEC patients were included and divided into a training cohort (n=1288) and two validation cohorts (n=552, n=52). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, gender, primary tumor site, laterality, T stage, N stage, M stage, surgery, and radiotherapy were factors that could affect the prognosis of LCNEC patients (P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that age, gender, primary tumor site, T stage, N stage, M stage, surgery, and radiotherapy were independent risk factors for the prognosis of LCNEC patients (P<0.05). Calibration curves and the concordance index (internal: 0.744±0.015; external: 0.763±0.020, 0.832±0.055) demonstrated good predictive performance of the model. Patients aged ≥65 years, male, with advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging, and who have not undergone surgery or radiotherapy have a poor prognosis. Nomogram can provide a certain reference for personalized clinical decision-making for patients.

The survival benefit from surgery on patients with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma in the lung: a propensity-score matching study

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of surgery in large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNC) patients.MethodsA total of 453 patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database diagnosed with stage T1-4N0-2M0 LCNC from 2010 to 2015 were analyzed. The propensity-score matching analysis with a ratio of 1:1 was used to minimize the bias effect of other clinical characteristics, and 77 pairs of patients’ data were performed for subsequent statistical analysis. The Cox proportional hazards model, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Log-rank test were used in the present study. The primary observational endpoint was cancer-specific survival (CSS).ResultsThe 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year CSS rates were 60.0%, 45.0%, and 42.0% in those 453 LCNC patients. Compared with patients who underwent surgical resection, patients without surgery had a lower 5-year CSS rate (18.0% vs. 52.0%, P < 0.001). After analyses of multivariable Cox regression, chemotherapy, T stage, N stage, and surgery were identified as independent prognostic indicators (all P < 0.05). In the cohort of old patients, the median survival time was longer in cases after surgery than those without surgery (13.0 months vs. NA, P < 0.001). Besides, in patients with different clinical characteristics, the receiving surgery was a protective prognostic factor (all hazard ratio < 1, all P < 0.05). In addition, for the cohort with stage T1-2N0-2M0, patients after the operation had more improved outcomes than patients without surgery (P < 0.001).ConclusionsWe proposed that the surgery could improve the survival outcomes of LCNC patients with stage T1-4N0-2M0. Moreover, old patients could benefit from surgery.

Percutaneous computed tomography-guided core needle biopsy can be used to histologically confirm the clinical features and long-term prognosis of pulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms.

We investigated the clinical features and prognosis outcomes of pulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) which were histologically confirmed after percutaneous computed tomography-guided core needle biopsy (PCT-CNB). We retrospectively investigated 173 patients who had PNENs which were histologically confirmed after PCT-CNB; patients were split into low and intermediate-grade neuroendocrine tumor (LIGNET) (typical carcinoid (TC) and atypical carcinoid (AC)) and high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma-tumor (HGNEC) groups. In this latter group, patients were further subdivided into large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), and high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma-not otherwise specified (HGNEC-NOS) groups. Complications after biopsy were recorded. We also assessed overall survival (OS) rates using Kaplan-Meier curves, with prognostic factors determined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Complications were mainly pneumothorax (22.5; 39/173 patients), chest tube placement (4.0; 7/173 patients), and pulmonary bleeding (33.5%; 58/173 procedures)-no patient mortality was recorded. Definitive diagnoses were ascribed to 102 SCLC, 10 LCNEC, 43 HGNEC-NOS, 7 TC, and 11 AC patients. The 1- and 3-year OS rates in the LIGNET group were 87.5% and 68.1%, respectively, and 59.2 and 20.9% in the HGNEC group, respectively these data were statistically significant (P = 0.010). For SCLC, 1- and 3-year OS rates were 63.3 and 22.3%, 30.0 and 10.0% for LCNEC, and 53.3% and 20.1% for HGNEC-NOS, respectively (P = 0.031). Independent prognostic factors for OS included disease type and distant metastasis. PNENs may be pathologically diagnosed using PCT-CNB. While differential diagnoses between LCNEC and SCLC are problematic in some patients, a HGNEC-NOS diagnosis was ascribed and PCT-CNB samples were shown to predict NEN OS rates.

A sneak peek into the diagnostic conundrum of neuroendocrine neoplasms of the breast: An updated review with a brief illustrative case series

Abstract Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) of the breast are uncommon tumours that have been a hitherto poorly and variably defined entity. In the recent fifth Edition World Health Organisation (WHO) classification of breast tumour, NENs are dichotomously classified into neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), mirroring the classification of NENs in other organ systems. Both NETs and NECs are invasive tumours in the breast. However, the clinical significance of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in breast cancers, especially in NETs of the breast, is not yet fully understood, and a large overlap appears to exist between breast cancers showing NED and invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST). Although breast NECs show distinct clinical and morphological features and show overlapping molecular features with their counterpart in other organs, especially the high-grade component. Diagnosis of NETs based on the morphological characteristics alone can be challenging; one reason is that breast NETs do not necessarily have the same morphological characteristics as those of NENs arising in other organs and are genetically heterogeneous and harbour molecular alterations that differ from IBC, NST. The keynote changes in the current WHO are the exclusion of other histological subtypes that is, solid papillary carcinoma and a hypercellular variant of mucinous carcinoma which are strong immunohistochemical mimickers of NED and the inclusion of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Thus, the heterogeneity of breast tumours with NED and the changes in their classifications over the years have left many open issues that still need to be resolved. Data regarding the prognostic significance of NED is conflicting and histologic grade and tumour stage remain the main prognostic parameters. Current management of NENs is similar to that of IBC of NST. In this review article, we will summarise the journey of NENs of the breast with an update on the recent WHO classification and discuss their differences from NENs arising in other organs by highlighting an interesting case series depicting their clinical, radiological, histological and molecular features.

Spontaneous histological transformation of lung squamous-cell carcinoma to large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and small cell lung cancer.

Histopathological transformation between different types of lung cancer cells has been reported following a variety of anti-tumor treatments. Examples include transformation from lung adenocarcinoma to squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) and transformation from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to small cell lung cancer (SCLC). A patient with intermittent hemoptysis for 2 days underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan that revealed interstitial pneumonia in addition to two enlarged paratracheal lymph nodes: one on the right (4R) and one on the left (4L) measuring 10 and 7mm in diameter, respectively (Fig. 1). There was no evidence of a lung or bronchial mass. Bronchoscopy identified an endoluminal primary mass in a superior segmental bronchus of the left lower lobe and pathological examination following surgery confirmed it to be SCC. At 15months post operation, a CT scan detected that the 4R lymph node had increased in size from 10 to 16mm in diameter. At the next follow-up 7 months later, a CT scan showed that the R4 lymph node had further increased in size from 16 to 40mm in the short axis, making it difficult for a surgeon to resect it "en bloc" immediately. The maximum standardized uptake value was 7.5 on PET-CT images. One month following completion of one cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and nedaplatin, a further CT scan indicated that the lymph node had decreased in size from 40 to 30mm in the short axis. A complete mediastinal lymphadenectomy via open thoracotomy was performed and the lymph node was resected. Histological examination identified a main large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) component with a small fraction of small cell carcinoma, confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis and genetic evidence. Histopathological transformation from SCC to LCNEC with a small fraction of SCLC may have occurred spontaneously without any treatment.

POU2F3: A Sensitive and Specific Diagnostic Marker for Neuroendocrine-low/negative Small Cell Lung Cancer.

POU2F3 (POU class 2 homeobox 3) is a novel transcription factor used to define the special molecular subtype of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) known as SCLC-P. Nevertheless, the sensitivity and specificity of POU2F3 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining have not been fully investigated. In this study, we explored the expression of POU2F3 by IHC in a large cohort of SCLC clinical samples (n=246), other common lung cancer types (n=2207), and various other cancer types (n=194). The results showed that POU2F3 was strongly nuclear stained in 13.41% (33/246) of SCLC cases, with negative or minimal labeling for thyroid transcription factor-1 and neuroendocrine (NE) markers. Compared with POU2F3-negative SCLC, SCLC-P harbored fewer TP53 and RB1 mutations. POU2F3 was also expressed in 3.13% (8/256) of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 20% (2/10) of large cell NE carcinomas (LCNECs), whereas other lung cancer types were negative. In addition to lung cancer, POU2F3 was positive in 22.2% (4/18) of thymic tumors. All other tumors were POU2F3-negative except for thymic carcinoma, although sparsely distributed weak nuclear staining was observed in lung adenocarcinoma, cervical SCC, and colorectal carcinoma. The sensitivity and specificity of POU2F3 in NE-low/negative SCLC were 82.1% and 99.4%, respectively. Notably, some rare unique patterns of POU2F3 expression were observed. One case of thymic SCC was characterized by diffuse and uniform cytomembrane staining. One case of esophageal NE tumor was nuclear-positive, while the normal proliferating squamous epithelium was strongly membrane-stained. This is the largest cohort of clinical samples to confirm that POU2F3 is a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic marker for NE-low/negative SCLC.

Lung Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rarely high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung with features of both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, we aim to construct a prognostic nomogram that integrates the clinical features and treatment options to predict disease-specific survival (DSS). A total of 713 patients diagnosed with LCNEC were from the US National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry between 2010-2016. Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted to choose the significant predictors of DSS. External validation was performed using 77 patients with LCNEC in the West China Hospital Sichuan University between 2010-2018. The predictive accuracy and discriminative capability were estimated by the concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The clinical applicability of the nomogram was verified through the decision curve analysis (DCA). Additionally, we conducted a subgroup analysis of data available in the external cohort that may impact prognosis but was not recorded in the SEER database. Six independent risk factors for DSS were identified and integrated into the nomogram. The nomogram achieved good C- indexes of 0.803 and 0.767 in the training and validation group, respectively. Moreover, the calibration curves for the probability of survival showed good agreement between prediction by nomogram and actual observation in 1-, 3- and 5-year DSS. The ROC curves demonstrated the prediction accuracy of the established nomogram (all Area Under Curve (AUC) > 0.8). DCA exhibited the favorable clinical applicability of the nomogram in the prediction of LCNEC survival. A risk classification system was built which could perfectly classify LCNEC patients into high-, medium- and low-risk groups (p < 0.001). The survival analysis conducted on the West China Hospital cohort indicated that whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI), surgical procedures, tumor grade, Ki-67, and PD-L1 expression were not significantly associated with DSS. This study has effectively developed a prognostic nomogram and a corresponding risk stratification system, which demonstrate promising potential for predicting the DSS of patients with LCNEC.

Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the uterine cervix is a rare and aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis even in its early stage, despite multimodality treatment strategy. Here, we report a case of a woman with LCNEC of the cervix, which was detected by pelvic pain. A literature review was also conducted to evaluate current therapeutic approaches and potential new strategies.

The role of immunotherapy in stage III large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung (LCNEC): A retrospective NCDB analysis.

e20568 Background: Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare lung cancer subtype. Despite advances in understanding lung cancer biology, a consensus on the use of consolidation immunotherapy (IO) in patients with LCNEC is still lacking. Methods: Using National Cancer Database (NCDB), we reviewed stage III lung LCNEC cases diagnosed from 2017 through 2019 with a follow-up through 2020. Several variables were incorporated into the multivariate logistic regression analysis, including age, gender, race, Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score (CDCS), insurance status, and IO use. Survival distribution was examined using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and compared by the log-rank test. Results: A total of 956 cases with a male:female ratio of 1.2:1, and a median age (±SD, range) of 66.4 (±9.7, 37–90) years—baseline characteristics are shown in the Table. In the univariate analysis, IO use (n = 184) resulted in a superior median overall survival (mOS; 30.6 vs. 20.3 months, HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.96, p = 0.02, compared to no IO use). Results from multivariate analysis further demonstrated survival benefit with IO use (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.98, p = 0.03, compared to no IO use). Additionally, in the multivariate analysis, the female gender was associated with improved survival (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71-0.99, p = 0.04); while notable factors associated with reduced survival were age ≥75 years (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.08-1.95, p = 0.01, compared to 18-64 years age group), CDCS of ≥1 (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.004-1.420, p = 0.04, compared to zero), and Medicaid (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.05-2.05, p = 0.02, compared to private insurance). There was no statistical significance for OS noted with age group 65-74 years (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.84-1.42, p = 0.49, compared to 18-64 years age group); and race (African American, HR 1.001, 95% CI 0.77-1.29, P = 0.99, compared to White). Conclusions: This study shows that IO improves survival in stage III LCNEC. Despite the inherent limitations of the database, our findings are intriguing and warrant further evaluation through prospective clinical trials in order to assess and optimize the benefit of IO in this patient population. [Table: see text]

First-in-human dose-escalation trial of BI 764532, a delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)/CD3 IgG-like T-cell engager in patients (pts) with DLL3-positive (DLL3+) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC).

8502 Background: The inhibitory Notch ligand, DLL3, is highly expressed on the cell surface of SCLC and NEC tumors and is a promising drug target. BI 764532 is a DLL3/CD3 T cell engaging bispecific antibody that has shown potent preclinical anti-tumor activity in DLL3+ cells and xenograft models. NCT04429087 is an ongoing phase I first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation trial of BI 764532 in adults with locally advanced/metastatic DLL3+ (confirmed centrally) SCLC, NEC or small cell carcinoma of any other origin (grouped as NEC), or large cell NEC (LCNEC). Methods: BI 764532 was administered intravenously using three different regimens: Regimen (R) A (fixed iv dose q3w); RB1 (fixed iv dose qw); RB2 (step-in doses followed by a fixed dose). Treatment (Tx) continued until progressive disease (PD), unacceptable toxicity, other withdrawal criteria, or maximum Tx duration (36 mos). The main objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended dose for expansion of BI 764532, based on dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) during the MTD evaluation period. Further objectives were safety, tolerability, PK/PD and preliminary efficacy based on investigator review (RECIST v1.1). Results: As of 28th Dec 2022, 90 pts received ≥1 dose of BI 764532 (RA: n = 24, 8 dose levels; RB1: n = 10, 3 dose levels; RB2: n = 56, 6 dose levels; starting dose: 0.03 µg/kg). Median age: 60 years (32–78); ECOG PS 0/1: 24/74%; prior PD1/PD-L1 Tx: 40%; ≥2 prior lines of Tx: 69%. SCLC/NEC/LCNEC: 52/41/4%. Median Tx duration: 43 days (range 1–443); 25 pts are ongoing. DLTs were seen in 1 pt on RA (Grade 3 confusion) and 4 pts on RB2 (Grade 4 cytokine release syndrome [CRS]; Grade 3 CRS, Grade 3 nervous system disorder, Grade 2 infusion-related reaction). MTD has not been reached and dose escalation is ongoing. Overall, the most common treatment-related AEs were (any/Grade 3+): CRS (58/2%); pyrexia (19/0%); decreased lymphocytes (18/14%); asthenia (17/1%); dysgeusia (14/0%). CRS was managed with supportive care, corticosteroids, and/or anti-IL-6R antibodies. With RB2, most CRS and neurological events occurred early, and were reversable. Tumor response data were available for 70 pts (RA/RB1/RB2: n = 19/8/43). In pts with SCLC (n = 24) or NEC (n = 23) who received ≥ target dose of BI 764532, ORR was 33% and 22% across all regimens, respectively. One pt with LCNEC was also evaluable for response and achieved PR. Conclusions: BI 764532 showed clinically manageable tolerability and MTD has not been reached at the doses administered to date. Promising efficacy has been observed, not only in SCLC but also in difficult to treat entities such as NEC and LCNEC. The study is ongoing; updated data will be presented. Clinical trial information: NCT04429087 .

Efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy vs. platinum-based chemotherapy alone in patients with previously untreated advanced large-cell neuroendocrine cancer of the lung.

9066 Background: Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The efficacy of first-line therapies for LCNEC has not yet been established. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and platinum-based chemotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with advanced LCNEC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with advanced LCNEC who were treated with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group) or with platinum-based chemotherapy alone (chemotherapy group) based on data obtained from electronic databases of three participating cancer centers from January 2015 to August 2022. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were evaluated for each group. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned treatment. Results: Among the 75 enrolled patients, 25 were allocated to receive PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy and 50 were allocated to receive platinum-based chemotherapy alone (patients were matched 1:2 on baseline characteristics). The median PFS was 15.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1–23.2) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group and 5.3 months (95% CI, 4.4–6.2) in the chemotherapy group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.26; 95% CI, 0.113–0.428; p &lt; 0.0001). The 12-month OS was 88.0% (95% CI, 67.7–96.9) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group and 56.0% (95% CI, 41.4–69.7) in the chemotherapy group ( p = 0.0056). The ORRs in the two groups were 40% and 16%, respectively ( p = 0.022), and the DCRs were 96% and 70%, respectively ( p = 0.010). Regarding safety, the most common incidences of grade ≥ 3 adverse events involved neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, and fatigue. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group included cutaneous hemangiomas, hypothyroidism, anaphylaxis, and pneumonitis. Grade 3 or 4 irAEs were not observed. No new safety signals were noted. Conclusions: First-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy significantly improved PFS in patients with advanced LCNEC compared with platinum-based chemotherapy alone.

MYC amplification segment-size mutual exclusivity analysis with other oncogenic events in a pan-cancer sequencing cohort.

3073 Background: MYC gene alterations resulting in increased copy number are recurrent oncogenic alterations across human malignancies. Presently no clear data exists to aid in interpreting MYC amplification characteristics for identifying MYC-dependent tumors. Methods: Analysis was conducted on a center-wide cohort of 68,920 tumor-normal matched samples from pediatric and adult patients sequenced with an FDA-authorized targeted sequencing panel (MSK-IMPACT). To ascertain tumor content, ploidy and allelic specific gene copy number, tumor-normal samples were analyzed with FACETS. Samples with tumor purity &lt;20% were excluded. MYC amplification was defined as total copy number (TCN) minus ploidy ≥ 4. All samples were queried for presence of concurrent oncogenic or likely-oncogenic alterations based on OncoKb annotation. Co-occurrence (Co) and mutual-exclusivity (Me) analysis between MYC amplification according to segment size and other oncogenic alterations was performed with DISCOVER (false discovery rate threshold of 0.01) for each tumor type. Results: After removing low-quality samples (n=19,010/68,920), 49,910 samples were included in the analysis. 3,219 (6.4%) samples harbored MYC amplification, with segment size ranging from less than 100Kb to more than 100Mb, with 38% samples displaying focal amplifications shorter than 10 Mb and 62% broad amplifications longer than 10 Mb. TCN was inversely correlated with segment size (R= -0.34, p=2.2e-16). Triple-negative breast cancer (13.3%), hepatocellular carcinoma (8.7%), neuroendocrine tumors of the rectum (8.3%), high-grade serous ovarian cancer (7.6%) and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung (6.7%) had the highest prevalence of MYC amplification without concurrent potentially driver oncogene mutations, amplifications or fusions. CoMe analysis demonstrated mutual exclusivity of MYC gene amplification regardless of segment size with most major tumor-type specific oncogenic events. All MYC amplifications were mutually exclusive with MET splice variants and mutations (q&lt; 0.001) and KRAS mutations (q&lt; 0.001) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), FGFR3 mutations (q&lt; 0.001) and fusions (q&lt; 0.001) in bladder cancer, PTEN mutations (q&lt; 0.001) in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, KRAS mutations (q&lt; 0.001) in colorectal cancer and CDK4 amplifications (q&lt; 0.001) in sarcomas. Broad MYC amplifications were mutually exclusive with RET, ROS1 and ALK fusions in LUAD, while focal ones co-occurred with RET (q=0.007) and ALK fusions (q&lt; 0.001) or secondary mutations (q&lt; 0.001). Conclusions: This dataset defines a subgroup of MYC amplified cancers without co-occurring drivers and further subdivided by segment size, providing information that may help better identify patients for trials of novel MYC-directed therapies.

Comparative expression analysis of immune-related markers in surgically resected lung neuroendocrine neoplasms

BackgroundAlthough immunotherapy has led to a paradigm shift in the treatment of lung cancer, the therapeutic approaches for lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LNENs) are still limited. Our aim was to explore the immunological landscape and the expression of immune checkpoint markers in LNENs. MethodsSurgically removed tumor samples of 26 atypical carcinoid (AC), 30 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and 29 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients were included. The immune phenotype of each tumor type was assessed by using a panel of 15 immune-related markers. As these markers are potentially expressed by immune cells and/or tumor cells, they might serve as putative targets for immunotherapy. Expression patterns were measured by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. ResultsUnsupervised hierarchical clustering revealed distinct immunologic profiles across tumor types. Specifically, AC tumors were characterized by high tumor cell CD40 expression and low levels of immune infiltrates whereas SCLC samples had a high CD47 and Inducible T Cell Costimulator (ICOS) expression in tumor cells and immune cells, respectively. High CD70 and CD137 expression by tumor cells as well as elevated expression of CD27, Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 (LAG3), and CD40 by immune cells were characteristic for LCNEC samples. Overall, SCLC and LCNEC tumors had a more immunogenic phenotype than AC samples. High tumor cell CD47 and CD40 expressions were associated with impaired and improved survival outcomes, respectively. ConclusionsBy providing insights into the widely divergent immunologic profiles of LNENs, our results might serve as a basis for the development of novel immunotherapy-related approaches in these devastating malignancies.

Clinical activity of pembrolizumab with or without chemotherapy in advanced pulmonary large-cell and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas: a multicenter retrospective cohort study

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)-based combination strategies have improved the survival outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancers; however, data regarding their efficacy remains limited for uncommon histological types, including large-cell carcinoma (LCC) and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed a total of 60 patients with advanced LCC and LCNEC – 37 treatment-naïve and 23 pre-treated – who received pembrolizumab with or without chemotherapy. Treatment and survival outcomes were analyzed.ResultsOf the 37 treatment-naïve patients who received first-line pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy, the 27 patients with LCC had an overall response rate (ORR) of 44.4% (12/27) and a disease control rate (DCR) of 88.9% (24/27); whereas 10 patients with LCNEC had an ORR of 70% (7/10) and DCR of 90% (9/10). The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 7.0 months (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.2–11.8) and median overall survival (mOS) was 24.0 months (95%CI: 0.0–50.1) for first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy of LCC (n = 27), whereas mPFS was 5.5 months (95%CI: 2.3–8.7) and mOS was 13.0 months (95%CI: 11.0–15.0) for first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy of LCNEC (n = 10). Of the 23 pre-treated patients who received subsequent-line pembrolizumab with or without chemotherapy, mPFS was 2.0 months (95% CI: 0.6–3.4) and mOS was 4.5 months (95% CI: 0.0–9.0) for LCC and mPFS was 3.8 months (95% CI: 0.0–7.6) and mOS was not reached for LCNEC.ConclusionOur study provides real-world clinical evidence of the anti-tumor activity of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in advanced LCC and LCNEC, indicating that this regimen could serve as a treatment option, particularly as first-line therapy, for improving the survival outcomes of patients with these rare histological subtypes of lung cancer.Trial registrationNCT05023837(ESPORTA, 27/08/2021).

Proceedings of the 2023 North American Society of Head and Neck Pathology Companion Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 12, 2023: Navigating New Developments in High Grade Sinonasal Neuroendocrine and Neuroectodermal Neoplasms.

Although the definitions of sinonasal neuroendocrine and neuroectodermal neoplasms did not change substantially in the 5th edition WHO Classification of Head and Neck Tumours, the diagnosis of olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma remains quite challenging in practice. Ambiguities surrounding the amount of keratin expression allowable in ONB and the amount of neuroendocrine differentiation seen in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) lead to significant diagnostic discrepancies at the high grade end of this tumor spectrum. Furthermore, a group of problematic neuroepithelial tumors that show overlapping features of ONB and neuroendocrine carcinoma have never been recognized in formal classification schemes. Since publication of the 5th edition WHO, two new tumor entities have been proposed that help resolve these problems. Olfactory carcinoma is defined by high grade keratin-positive neuroectodermal cells with frequent intermixed glands and shows recurrent Wnt pathway, ARID1A, and RUNX1 alterations. IDH2-mutant sinonasal carcinoma is a molecularly-defined category that encompasses tumors with undifferentiated (SNUC), large cell neuroendocrine, and neuroepithelial phenotypes. This review will provide a practical overview of these emerging entities and their application to diagnostic challenges in the post-WHO sinonasal neuroendocrine and neuroectodermal tumor classification.

Keratin 5 in Lung Cancer Specimens: Comparison of Four Antibody Clones and KRT5 mRNA-ISH.

Recent improvements in the medical treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma have made the histopathological distinction between adenocarcinomas (ACs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) increasingly important. One immunohistochemical marker of squamous differentiation is Keratin 5 (K5). Several K5 antibody clones are commercially available, and data from external quality assessment (NordiQC) have shown large variations in their performance. However, comparing antibody performance characteristics of optimized K5 immunohistochemical assays in lung cancer specimens is needed. Tissue microarrays comprising 31 SCCs, 59 ACs, 17 large cell carcinomas, 8 large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas, 5 carcinosarcomas, and 10 small cell carcinomas were included. Serial sections from the tissue microarrays were stained using optimized assays based on the K5 mouse monoclonal antibodies D5/16 B4 and XM26, and the K5 rabbit monoclonal antibodies SP27 and EP1601Y, respectively. The staining reactions were assessed using H-score (0-300). In addition, p40 immunohistochemistry and KRT5 mRNA-ISH analyses were conducted. Clone SP27 showed significantly higher analytical sensitivity than the other 3 clones. However, a distinct positive reaction was observed in 25% of the ACs using clone SP27 but not with the other clones. Clone D5/16 B4 displayed granular staining in 14 ACs, probably representing Mouse Ascites Golgi-reaction. A weak, scattered expression of KRT5 mRNA was seen in 71% of the ACs. In conclusion, the K5 antibody clones D5/16 B4, EP1601Y, and XM26 showed equal sensitivity in lung cancer specimens, but D5/16 B4 also showed nonspecific Mouse Ascites Golgi-reaction. Clone SP27 demonstrated superior analytical sensitivity but lower clinical specificity in the differential diagnosis of SCC versus AC.

Gastric Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Presenting as Perforation Peritonitis: a Rare Case Report

Gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas (GNECs) are rare tumors characterized by an aggressive clinical course, rapid progression, metastatic dissemination, and poor prognosis. Due to overlapping radiological features and small pre-operative biopsy specimens, they are frequently misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma in the pre-operative period. These tumors are generally asymptomatic or present with non-specific symptoms like epigastric pain or discomfort, weight loss, and loss of appetite. However, GNECs presenting as perforation peritonitis are rarely reported in the literature. A 60-year-old man presented to the emergency department with complaints of pain upper abdomen with loss of weight and appetite for four months. He had an endoscopic biopsy report suggestive of antral growth reported as poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Radiological investigations were notable for the presence of a malignant lesion in the stomach with perforation. Subtotal gastrectomy with D1 lymph node resection was done. Specimen pathology confirmed poorly differentiated high grade large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. This article emphasizes the importance of considering GNEC as a differential diagnosis for gastric adenocarcinoma despite overlapping radiological features and challenges with pre-operative diagnosis due to its aggressive nature and to allow for appropriate management.

Management of Localized Small- and Large-Cell Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in the National Cancer Database.

The role of curative-intent resection and perioperative chemotherapy for nonmetastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PanNEC) remains unclear due to their biological aggressiveness and rarity. This study aimed to evaluate the association of resection and perioperative chemotherapy with overall survival for nonmetastatic PanNEC. Patients with localized (cT1-3, M0), small- and large-cell PanNEC were identified in the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2017. The changing trends in terms of the annual proportions of resection and adjuvant chemotherapy were assessed. The survival of patients who received resection and those who received adjuvant chemotherapy were investigated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression models. In total, 199 patients with localized small- and large-cell PanNEC were identified; 50.3% of those were resected, and 45.0% of the resected patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Rate of resection and adjuvant treatment has trended upward since 2011. The resected group was younger, was more often treated at academic institutions, had more distal tumors, and had a lower number of small-cell PanNEC. The median overall survival was longer in the resected group compared to the unresected group (29.4 months vs 8.6 months, p < 0.001). Resection was associated with improved survival in a multivariable Cox regression model adjusting for preoperative factors (adjusted hazard ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.92), while adjuvant therapy was not. This nationwide retrospective study suggests that resection is associated with improved survival in patients with localized PanNEC. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy needs more investigation.

Lung neuroendocrine neoplasms: a single centre surgical series and analysis of staging.

To review the outcomes of surgically resected lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LNEN) at a tertiary referral centre and to validate a previously published LNEN-specific staging system (NETL). All patients who were identified on histopathology to have LNEN were included. Pre-, intra- and post-operative outcomes were collected, including long-term survival. Patients were staged by both the TNM (seventh and eighth edition) and NETL staging (seventh and eighth edition definitions). Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis was performed according to histopathology and stage, along with uni- and multivariate analyses. A total of 132 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 65 years; 55% were female. Typical carcinoid (TC) was the most common pathology (53.4%) followed by large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC - 23.5%), atypical carcinoid (AC - 20.5%) and small cell carcinoma (3.0%). The most common operation performed was a lobectomy (55.3%). Overall survival at 5 years was 80% (100% TC, 78.2% AC, LCNEC 40.9%) and 5-year disease free survival was 76.8% (TC 94.3%, AC 56.8%, LCNEC 56.4%). KM curves showed a trend towards NETL performing better than TNM, however, in multivariate analysis only the histological subtype was found to be significant in our study. This is the largest known Australian series of LNEN to date, showing survival comparable to international outcomes. We have demonstrated large variations in outcome, driven by histological grade. The TNM system does not correlate with survival and we have not been able to show that currently proposed NETL staging is superior.