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Neuroendocrine Carcinomas and Precursors

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Molecular Pathology of Lung Diseases

Part of the book series: Molecular Pathology Library ((MPLB,volume 1))

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Abstract

Neuroendocrine lung tumors are usually classified into four histologic types that were shifted in the World Health Organization classification into three entities: small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), and carcinoids (typical and atypical).1,2 This subset of tumors shares morphologic, ultrastructural, immunohistochemical, and molecular characteristics. The four main types neuroendocrine lung tumors show varying degrees of neuroendocrine morphologic features, and they behave according to three grades of clinical aggressivity, the low-grade typical carcinoids, the intermediate-grade atypical carcinoids, and the high-grade LCNECs and SCLCs, which share many features including epidemiologic growth factor and oncogenic pathways. However, the concept of a continuous spectrum from carcinoid to SCLC has no other scientific basis than a common neuroendocrine differentiation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, CHU de Grenoble Albert Michallon, Lung Cancer Research Group, INSERM U578, Grenoble, France

    Elisabeth Brambilla MD

Authors
  1. Elisabeth Brambilla MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA

    Dani S. Zander MD

  2. Institute of Pathology, Laboratories for Molecular Cytogenetics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Helmut H. Popper MD

  3. Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Jaishree Jagirdar MD

  4. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY

    Abida K. Haque MD

  5. Department of Pathology, San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, Baytown, TX, USA

    Abida K. Haque MD

  6. Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY

    Philip T. Cagle MD  & Roberto Barrios MD  & 

  7. The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Philip T. Cagle MD  & Roberto Barrios MD  & 

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Brambilla, E. (2008). Neuroendocrine Carcinomas and Precursors. In: Zander, D.S., Popper, H.H., Jagirdar, J., Haque, A.K., Cagle, P.T., Barrios, R. (eds) Molecular Pathology of Lung Diseases. Molecular Pathology Library, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-72430-0_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-72430-0_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-72429-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-72430-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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