Tracheal polypoid combined small cell lung cancer (C-SCLC): A case report

Combined small cell lung cancer: current progress and unmet needs

Combined small cell lung cancer (CSCLC) is a specific subtype of lung cancer characterized by a pathological mixture of small cell lung cancer and any subtype of non-small cell lung cancer components. Currently, our understanding of the clinicopathological features, origin, molecular characterization, treatment, and prognosis of CSCLC remains limited. CSCLCs represent examples of intratumor heterogeneity and pose challenges for accurate diagnosis. Are there any distinct clinicopathologic and molecular differences between pure SCLC and CSCLC? Furthermore, the prognostic outcomes and optimal treatments for CSCLC are urgently needed. This article aims to summarize the current biological features and clinical management of CSCLC, providing a reference for further understanding of this heterogeneous form of small cell lung cancer.

Multiple endotracheal metastases of combined small cell lung carcinoma

We report a very rare case of combined small cell lung carcinoma (C-SCLC) which presented as persistent cough and was due to endotracheal metastases. Clinicians should be aware of this unusual site of metastases from a C-SCLC.

The Role of Surgery in High-Grade Neuroendocrine Cancer: Indications for Clinical Practice

Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) represent a particular type of malignant lung cancers and can be divided into well-differentiated low-grade NET and poorly-differentiated high-grade NET. Typical and atypical carcinoids belong to the first group while large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC) and small-cell lung cancers (SCLC) belong to the second one. The aim of this mini-review is to focus on the role of surgical therapy for high grade neuroendocrine tumors. SCLC has the worst prognosis among all lung cancer neoplasms: in fact, the two-year survival rate is about 5% and median survival usually ranges between 15 and 20 months. The surgical treatment of SCLC has thus infrequently been judged as a valuable aspect of the therapeutic approach, the gold standard treatment being a combination of platinum-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As LCNEC are rare, there is a lack of extensive literature and randomized clinical trials, therefore the curative approach is still controversial. Current treatment guidelines suggest treating LCNEC by surgical resection in non-metastatic stages and recommend adjuvant chemotherapy according to SCLC protocol. Upfront surgery is suggested in early stages (from I to IIB), a multimodality approach is recommended in locally advanced stages (III) while surgery is not recommended in stage IV LCNEC. The rate of surgical resection is quite low, particularly for SCLC, ranging from 1 to 6% in limited diseases; lobectomy with radical lymphadenectomy is considered the gold standard surgical procedure in the case of limited disease SCLC and resectable LCNEC; pneumonectomy, although reported as an effective tool, should be avoided in the light of local and distant recurrence rates.

Tracheal polypoid combined small cell lung cancer (C-SCLC): A case report

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis that accounts for 10% of all cases of clinical lung cancer. Due to its high growth fraction and rapid doubling time it is usually diagnosed as extensive local or metastatic disease in 60%–70% of cases. Combined small cell lung cancer (C‐SCLC) is a relatively rare subtype of SCLC and is defined as SCLC combined with any elements of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinical presentation of SCLC as an isolated pedunculated endotracheal lesion is an especially rare occurrence. Here, we report for the first time the occurrence of a C‐SCLC as a polypoid tumor of the trachea diagnosed in an 80‐year‐old woman admitted to the emergency department with a principal complaint of cough and wheezing.