Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Semi-automatic PD-L1 Characterization and Enumeration of Circulating Tumor Cells from Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients by Immunofluorescence
Published on: August 14, 2019
Immunocytochemical evaluation of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung
Chiaki Endo1, Masako Honda, Akira Sakurada
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. endo@idac.tohoku.ac.jp
Objective:
To examine whether immunocytochemistry can distinguish pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) among non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs).
Study Design:
Tumor touch imprint cytologic specimens of 109 lung cancers were studied. Immunocytochemistry was done using a total of 8 primary antibodies: chromogranin A, synaptophysin, neural cell adhesion molecule, neuron specific enolase, CK34betaE12, thyroid transcription factor-1, cytokeratin 18 and E-cadherin.
Results:
If 2 or 3 antibodies of chromogranin A, synaptophysin and neural cell adhesion molecule were stained positive and CK34betaE12 was not stained, pulmonary LCNEC can be selected accurately among other NSCLCs with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity.
Conclusion:
This study reveals that immunocytochemistry can help distinguish LCNEC of the lung from other NSCLCs.