Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Gazi Medical Journal, cilt.20, sa.2, ss.64-71, 2009 (Scopus)
Purpose: Neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) can be detected in 10-30% of non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs), with the highest frequency in adenocarcinomas (ACs) and large cell carcinomas (LCCs), by immunohistochemical or electron microscopic techniques. These tumors are collectively referred to as non-small cell lung carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation (NSCLC-NED). However, the clinical significance of this feature is not fully elucidated in NSCLC-NED. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the clinical significance of NED in patients with stage I-IV NSCLC by using immunohistochemistry for neuroendocrine markers. Materials and Methods: The relationship between NED and prognosis was investigated by immunohistochemistry using neuron specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin A (Chr A), and neurofilament (NF) in 71 patients with surgically resected stage I-IV NSCLC. The immunostaining results of NE markers were compared with survival data. Results: While NSE expression was detected most often in LCCs (66.7%), that of Chr A was seen mostly in ACs (25.8%) but none of the NSCLC cases showed immunoreactivity with NF. Multivariate analysis showed that pneumonectomy versus lobectomy carried a poorer prognosis while NSE expression predicted a better prognosis in NSCLC cases. Conclusion: NED may be of prognostic significance in patients with resected NSCLC but the clinical significance of NED in this subpopulation needs further analysis with specific antibodies in larger series.