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Integrative genomic profiling of large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas reveals distinct subtypes of high-grade neuroendocrine lung tumors

Large-cell neuroendocrine lung carcinomas (LCNEC) have similarities with other lung cancers, but their precise relationship has remained unclear. We conducted comprehensive genomic (n=60) and transcriptomic (n=69) analyses of 75 LCNECs and identified two molecular subgroups: “type I LCNECs” with bi-allelic TP53 and STK11/KEAP1 alterations (37%), and “type II LCNECs” enriched for bi-allelic inactivation of TP53 and RB1 (42%). Despite sharing genomic alterations with adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, no transcriptional relationship was found; instead LCNECs form distinct transcriptional subgroups with closest similarity to SCLC. While type I LCNECs and SCLCs exhibit a neuroendocrine profile with ASCL1high/DLL3high/NOTCHlow, type II LCNECs bear TP53 and RB1 alterations and differ from most SCLC tumors with reduced neuroendocrine markers, a pattern of ASCL1low/DLL3low/NOTCHhigh and upregulation of immune-related pathways. In conclusion, LCNECs are comprised of two molecularly defined subgroups, and distinguishing them from SCLC may allow for stratified targeted treatments for high-grade neuroendocrine lung tumors.

Click on a Dataset ID in the table below to learn more, and to find out who to contact about access to these data

Dataset ID Description Technology Samples
EGAD00001000977 Illumina HiSeq 2000 11
EGAD00001003801 Illumina HiSeq 2000 40
EGAD00001003815 Illumina HiSeq 2000 48
EGAD00010001511 Affymetrix SNP 6.0 54
Publications Citations
Integrative genomic profiling of large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas reveals distinct subtypes of high-grade neuroendocrine lung tumors.
Nat Commun 9: 2018 1048
155
Integrative and comparative genomic analyses identify clinically relevant pulmonary carcinoid groups and unveil the supra-carcinoids.
Nat Commun 10: 2019 3407
61
A molecular map of lung neuroendocrine neoplasms.
Gigascience 9: 2020 giaa112
6
Topoisomerase I poison-triggered immune gene activation is markedly reduced in human small-cell lung cancers by impairment of the cGAS/STING pathway.
Br J Cancer 127: 2022 1214-1225
9