TY - JOUR
T1 - Pulmonary carcinoid tumours
T2 - Indolent but not benign
AU - De Dosso, Sara
AU - Bajetta, Emilio
AU - Procopio, Giuseppe
AU - Cortinovis, Diego
AU - Buzzoni, Roberto
AU - Catena, Laura
AU - Platania, Marco
AU - Verzoni, Elena
PY - 2008/4
Y1 - 2008/4
N2 - Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the malignant behaviour of low-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) treated at our institution. Patients and Methods: We reviewed 48 consecutive patients with pulmonary NETs referred to our Medical Oncology Unit between 1998 and 2006, including 33 subjects with typical carcinoids (TCs) and 15 with atypical carcinoids (ACs). Results: At diagnosis, there were 37 metastatic and 11 non-metastatic patients. Medical treatments used were somatostatin analogues, combined chemotherapy, within study protocols, 5-fluorouracil/dacarbazine/ epiadriamycin (FDE), and oxaliplatin plus capecitabine (XELOX). Median disease-free survival was 72 months for the TC patients and 38 months for the AC patients. Actuarial 5-year survival was 93% for those with TCs and 73% for those with ACs. The mean overall survival was 68 months for the non-metastatic patients (78 months for TC patients and 58 months for AC patients) and 36 months for patients with advanced disease (42 and 32 months, respectively). Conclusion: Cell type is the strongest determinant of prognosis, and the degree of malignancy increases from TCs to ACs. Moreover, the prognosis of metastatic pulmonary carcinoids is not as good as expected. Our analysis suggests that patients with advanced disease should receive first-line therapy with a somatostatin analogue, with chemotherapy regimens (FDE, XELOX) used in progressing cases.
AB - Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the malignant behaviour of low-grade pulmonary neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) treated at our institution. Patients and Methods: We reviewed 48 consecutive patients with pulmonary NETs referred to our Medical Oncology Unit between 1998 and 2006, including 33 subjects with typical carcinoids (TCs) and 15 with atypical carcinoids (ACs). Results: At diagnosis, there were 37 metastatic and 11 non-metastatic patients. Medical treatments used were somatostatin analogues, combined chemotherapy, within study protocols, 5-fluorouracil/dacarbazine/ epiadriamycin (FDE), and oxaliplatin plus capecitabine (XELOX). Median disease-free survival was 72 months for the TC patients and 38 months for the AC patients. Actuarial 5-year survival was 93% for those with TCs and 73% for those with ACs. The mean overall survival was 68 months for the non-metastatic patients (78 months for TC patients and 58 months for AC patients) and 36 months for patients with advanced disease (42 and 32 months, respectively). Conclusion: Cell type is the strongest determinant of prognosis, and the degree of malignancy increases from TCs to ACs. Moreover, the prognosis of metastatic pulmonary carcinoids is not as good as expected. Our analysis suggests that patients with advanced disease should receive first-line therapy with a somatostatin analogue, with chemotherapy regimens (FDE, XELOX) used in progressing cases.
KW - Lung carcinoids
KW - Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumours
KW - Somatostatin analogues
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U2 - 10.1159/000127382
DO - 10.1159/000127382
M3 - Article
C2 - 18418008
AN - SCOPUS:43049125849
VL - 73
SP - 162
EP - 168
JO - Oncology
JF - Oncology
SN - 0030-2414
IS - 3-4
ER -