Clinicopathological features and lymph node and distant metastasis patterns in patients with gastroenteropancreatic mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasm

Abstract

Objective: Owing to its rarity and heterogeneity, the biological behavior and optimal therapeutic management of mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasm (MiNEN) have not been established. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and metastatic patterns of MiNEN. Methods: Continuous clinicopathological data of MiNEN patients treated at our hospital were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Results: This study had enrolled 169 patients since January 2010 to January 2020. Pathological components were assessed in 129 patients with MiNEN (76.3%), and a focal (non-)neuroendocrine component was observed in 40 patients (23.7%; <30% of the tumor). Among the enrolled patients, 80 underwent surgical removal of the primary tumor and lymph nodes (LNs), and 34 with distant metastasis underwent biopsy of both primary tumor and metastatic lesions. In patients with LN metastasis, 68.8% (55/80) exhibited a pure component of either neuroendocrine (NE) or adenocarcinoma/squamous carcinoma (AS) in metastatic LNs, while 20% (16/80) showed different components in different LNs, and only 11.2% (9/80) exhibited both NE and AS components in the same LN. In patients with distant metastases, 26.5% (9/34) possessed coexisting NE and AS components in the distant metastases, 70.6% (24/34) were regarded as a pure NE component, and 2.9% (1/34) were comprised of a pure AS component. Conclusion: Lymph node and distant metastases exhibited distinct metastatic patterns in patients with MiNEN. The major pathological component in regional LNs may have influenced the proportion of the two components within the primary tumor, but distant metastases were dominated by the NE component.