Adjuvant chemotherapy for large cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine features

BACKGROUND. In 1999, the World Health Organization categorized large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, large cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation, and large cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine morphology as a variant of large cell carcinoma. Patients with large cell carcinoma vith neuroendocrine features have poor prognoses, comparable to those for small cell lung carcinoma. Small cell lung carcinoma is sensitive to chemotherapy; however, it is still unclear whether large cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine features is responsive to adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS. The authors analyzed 73 patients with large cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine features who underwent resection of the tumor and studied the effect Chiba, Japan. of adjuvant chemotherapy for large cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine features. RESULTS. in patients with Stage I disease, the overall survival for patients with cer Research, Chiba University School of Medicine, adjuvant chemotherapy based on cisplatin, carboplatin, or cyclophosphamide, Chiba, Japan. which were used as standard chemotherapy for small cell lung carcinoma, were significantly higher than the overall survival for patients without adjuvant chemotherapy. In patients with Stage II, III, and IV disease, there was no significant difference between patients with adjuvant chemotherapy and without adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS. Adjuvant chemotherapy based on cisplatin, carboplatin, or cyclophosphamide prolongs survival of patients with large cell carcinoma vith neuroendocrine features in early stage. (C) 2001 American Cancer Society.