Summary:
Introduction: Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a pulmonary
neuroendocrine tumor with poor prognosis and no established treatment.
The aim of the study was to present clinical characteristics and treatment
results of patients with LCNEC.
Patients: In our department 19 LCNEC patients (m/f =14/5, 04/1997-01/2013),
were consecutively treated. Clinical characteristics, treatment results and
histological specimens were reviewed. Median (m) EFS (event-free survival) and
OS (overall-survival) were calculated according to Kaplan Meier curves and
log-rank test. Median age of the patients was 64 years and 13 of them had a
favorable PS (0-1). Cough and chest pain were the most common presenting
symptoms. Stage I- IIIA had 6, and stage IV 13 patients.
Eighteen (18) patients received chemotherapy either adjuvantly or for
metastatic disease mainly with cisplatin-etoposide.
Results: Median OS for the overall population was 9,5 months (95% CI=
3,4-15,7). Median OS for early stage disease was 36,4 months vs 7,1 months for
metastatic disease (p=0,057). Patients with a favorable PS had better OS than
those with poor (3,3 vs 15,9 months, p<0,001). Similar findings were observed
for EFS.
Conclusions: In our study the stage of the disease along with the PS of the
patients played vital role in the overall outcome. Disease burden seems to have
a prognostic role.
Keywords:
neuroendocrine, tumors, lung, large cell, chemotherapy
