Cited by 2.4kOpen Access
University of Cologne
ORCID: 0000-0001-6601-4518Publishes on CAR-T cell therapy research, Lung Cancer Research Studies, Lymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment. 45 papers and 4.3k citations.
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Abstract Pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNECs) have similarities with other lung cancers, but their precise relationship has remained unclear. Here we perform a comprehensive genomic ( n = 60) and transcriptomic ( n = 69) analysis of 75 LCNECs and identify 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 ASCL1 high / DLL3 high / NOTCH low , type II LCNECs bear TP53 and RB1 alterations and differ from most SCLC tumors with reduced neuroendocrine markers, a pattern of ASCL1 low / DLL3 low / NOTCH high , and an upregulation of immune-related pathways. In conclusion, LCNECs comprise two molecularly defined subgroups, and distinguishing them from SCLC may allow stratified targeted treatment of high-grade neuroendocrine lung tumors.