What are lung neuroendocrine cancers?
Lung neuroendocrine cancers are lung cancers that develop in the 
of the lung. Your healthcare team might also call them lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (lung NENs). But this means the same as lung neuroendocrine cancer.
There are neuroendocrine cells in most organs of our body, including the lungs. They make which control how our bodies work. Lung neuroendocrine cells make hormones that control the flow of air and blood in the lungs.
There are 2 key groups of lung neuroendocrine cancer:
- neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) - also called carcinoids
- neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs)
NETs and NECs are very different. So it is important to know which one you have. Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse if you are not sure.
The lungs
Lung neuroendocrine cancer can start in any part of the lungs or airways. These are part of the breathing system which is also called the respiratory system. The respiratory system includes:
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the nose and mouth
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windpipe (trachea)
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airways to each lung (right and left bronchus)
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lungs, which are divided into sections called lobes
How common are lung neuroendocrine cancers?
Around 20 out of every 100 lung cancers (around 20%) diagnosed every year are lung neuroendocrine cancers.
Most lung neuroendocrine cancers are a type called small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma:
- 15 out of 100 lung cancers (15%) are small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
- around 3 out of 100 lung cancers (3%) are large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
- around 2 out of 100 lung cancers (2%) are lung neuroendocrine tumours – doctors also call these lung carcinoids
Although most neuroendocrine cancers start in the digestive system (gut), the lungs are the second most common place. Around 20 out of every 100 neuroendocrine cancers (around 20%) diagnosed in the UK start in the lungs.
Risks and causes of lung neuroendocrine cancer
Some things increase the risk of developing lung neuroendocrine cancers. But having one of these risk factors doesn’t mean that you will definitely develop a cancer.
The risk factors for lung neuroendocrine cancer include:
- previous history of cancer
- smoking
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 (MEN1)
Symptoms of lung neuroendocrine cancer
Some people don’t have symptoms. Doctors diagnose them when doing tests for something else.
When you do have symptoms, they are usually caused by:
- the growth of the cancer in your lung or airway
- the neuroendocrine cancer spreading to other parts of the body
hormones made by the cancer, but this is rare for lung neuroendocrine cancer
Symptoms of lung neuroendocrine cancer might include:
- a cough that doesn’t go away
- wheezing
- coughing up blood
- feeling short of breath
- aching or pain in your chest
- ongoing chest infections
- feeling very tired (fatigue)
unexplained weight loss
Symptoms caused by hormones
Some lung neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) make extra hormones and they release these into the bloodstream. This is less common in lung NETs compared to NETs that start in the .
The hormones can cause symptoms that can seem separate to the cancer. These symptoms include:
- skin flushing
- diarrhoea
- wheezing
- fast heart beat
Doctors call this collection of symptoms carcinoid syndrome. It is more likely to happen if the lung NET has spread to other parts of the body, especially the liver.
These symptoms could be due to a lung neuroendocrine cancer but can also be caused by other medical conditions. It’s important to get them checked by your doctor.
Getting diagnosed with lung neuroendocrine cancer
You might not have any symptoms. You may be diagnosed with a lung neuroendocrine cancer during tests for another condition.
If you have symptoms, you usually see your GP first. They might organise some tests. This might include blood tests and a chest x-ray.
Your GP will decide if you need to see a specialist.
If your doctor suspects cancer, you have tests to check the type of cancer you have. Tests also show the size of the cancer and whether it has spread. This helps your doctor plan your treatment.
Tests might include:
- blood and urine tests - these check your general health and check levels of substances raised by neuroendocrine cancer
chest x-ray CT scan PET-CT scan - radioactive scans – these are
octreotide scans (or octreoscans) and MIBG scans MRI scan bronchoscopy endobronchial ultrasound - a
surgical biopsy - tests to check your heart and breathing
There are different types of PET-CT scan. These include FDG PET and Gallium Dota PET scan. The scans provide different information. You may have one or both of these scans. It depends on your situation.
Survival (prognosis) for lung neuroendocrine cancers
The best person to talk to you about your outlook () is your specialist doctor. Not everyone wants to know. People cope differently with cancer and want different information.
Survival depends on many factors. So no one can tell you exactly how long you will live. Your doctor might be able to give you some guide, based on their knowledge and experience.
Grades, types and stages of lung neuroendocrine cancer
The tests and scans you have give information about the type, and . This helps your doctor decide which treatment you need.
