Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the lung: The latest updates

doi:10.5306/wjco.v16.i5.106630

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May 24, 2025 (publication date) through May 19, 2025

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World Journal of Clinical Oncology

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2218-4333

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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA

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World J Clin Oncol. May 24, 2025; 16(5): 106630
Published online May 24, 2025. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i5.106630

Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the lung: The latest updates

Riccardo Orlandi

Riccardo Orlandi, Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Milan, Milan 20122, Italy

Author contributions: Orlandi R contributed to the conceptualization, methodology, supervision, validation, writing of original draft, review and editing.

Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declares that they have no conflict of interest.

Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Corresponding author: Riccardo Orlandi, MD, Doctor, Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono, 7, Milan 20122, Italy. riccardo.orlandi@unimi.it

Received: March 4, 2025
Revised: March 21, 2025
Accepted: April 1, 2025
Published online: May 24, 2025
Processing time: 77 Days and 3.7 Hours

Abstract

Neuroendocrine neoplasms are a group of tumors with heterogenous malignancy that evolve from neuroendocrine cells, most frequently in the gastrointestinal tract and in the lung. The latest 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of lung tumors defines neuroendocrine neoplasms of the lung as an independent group of tumors, including typical and atypical neuroendocrine tumors and small cell and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. Although the overall nomenclature is essentially unchanged from the fourth WHO classification, there are several clinically relevant updates. In this review article, we discuss the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic features of these fascinating neoplasms, including the latest insights, current challenges and future perspectives.

Keywords: Neuroendocrine lung cancer; Carcinoid; Small cell lung cancer; Large cell neuroendocrine lung cancer; Diagnosis; Management

Core Tip: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) arise from neuroendocrine cells and vary in malignancy, commonly affecting the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. The 2021 World Health Organization classification of lung tumors categorizes lung NENs into typical and atypical neuroendocrine tumors and high-grade small cell and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. While the classification remains largely unchanged, key clinical updates have been introduced. This review explores the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of lung NENs, highlighting emerging insights, and future directions.