[Neuroendocrine tumors of the lung]

Neuroendocrine tumors of the lung embrace a spectrum from low-grade typical carcinoid, intermediate-grade atypical carcinoid, and high-grade categories of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma(LCNEC) and small cell carcinoma(SCLC). Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is a newly recognized clinicopathologic entity as the fourth category of neuroendocrine tumors of the lung. The most common disagreements of pathological diagnosis fall between LCNEC and SCLC. The clinical characteristics and optimal treatments for patients with LCNEC are not presently defined well. The prognosis of LCNEC is suggested to be poorer than that of other non-small cell lung cancers in the recent studies. It is not clear how these patients should be treated. Further collaborative accumulation of clinicopathological data is strongly required.