Neuroendocrine tumors are a group of malignant neoplasms that differs from each other in morphology, immunophenotype, molecular genetic profiles, biological and clinical behavior. Neuroendocrine tumors more frequently occur in the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system, predominantly in lungs. According to the classification of the World Health Organization, there are neuroendocrine tumors with low and intermediate malignant potential (typical and atypical carcinoid), with high malignant potential (small cell and large cell carcinoma) in lungs. Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia and neuroendocrine «tumorlets» are preinvasive neuroendocrine lung lesions. We describe 5 cases of invasive lung adenocarcinomas combined with neuroendocrine «tumorlets», which were identified during pathological research of surgical material.
Volchenko et al. (Fri,) studied this question.