Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours (NET) represent ~20% of all primary neoplasms of the lung. Histologic confirmation is important for treatment and prognosis determination. NET are classified according to four subtypes in the lung: typical carcinoid tumour (TC), atypical carcinoid tumour (AC), small cell carcinoma (SCC), and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). TC is low-grade, AC is intermediate-grade, and SCC and LCNEC are high-grade malignancies.

Case report: A 57-year-old woman, affected by a cervical anterior tumour and a proliferative tissue below the glottis was referred to our Endocrinology Department from ENT service for a second opinion. An ultrasound scan of the neck showed a polynodular goitre with bilaterally lymph nodes enlargement with suspicious malignancy characters. She had undergone surgery for the cervical anterior mass and for the laryngeal biopsy. Histopathological examination results were consistent with a SCC; neoplastic cells showed immunoreactivity to synaptophysin, neuron specific enolase, and chromogranin. The serum levels of serotonin, cromogranin A, calcitonin, carcinoembryonic antigen, ACTH, PTH, TSH, and FT₄ were normal. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of her left thyroid lobe nodule was performed and the cytopathological exam was compatible with a neuroendocrine tumour metastasis. Thoracic and abdominal computed tomography was normal at that moment. Chest CT revealed the primary pulmonary tumour at 6 months after presentation. The therapeutic option for advanced or metastatic NETs is mainly palliation of symptoms; options need to be individualised and, therefore, rely on the knowledge of multidisciplinary teams.