Open issues on G3 neuroendocrine neoplasms: back to the future

Maria Chiara Zatelli; Elia Guadagno; Erika Messina; Fabio Lo Calzo; Antongiulio Faggiano; Annamaria Colao; NIKE Group

doi:10.1530/ERC-17-0507

Open issues on G3 neuroendocrine neoplasms: back to the future

Endocr Relat Cancer. 2018 Jun;25(6):R375-R384. doi: 10.1530/ERC-17-0507. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Authors

Maria Chiara Zatelli¹, Elia Guadagno², Erika Messina³, Fabio Lo Calzo⁴, Antongiulio Faggiano⁴, Annamaria Colao⁴; NIKE Group

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical SciencesSection of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy ztlmch@unife.it.
² Department of Advanced Biomedical SciencesPathology Section, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
³ Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of Messina, Messina, Italy.
⁴ Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryFederico II University, Naples, Italy.

PMID: 29669844
DOI: 10.1530/ERC-17-0507

Abstract

The recent recognition that grade 3 (G3) neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) can be divided into two different categories according to the histopathological differentiation, that is G3 neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and G3 neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) has generated a lot of interest concerning not only the diagnosis, but also the differential management of such new group of NENs. However, several issues need to be fully clarified in order to put G3 NETs and G3 NECs in the right place. The aim of this review is to focus on those issues that are still undetermined starting from the current knowledge, evaluating the available evidence and the possible clinical implications.

Keywords: G3; diagnosis; neuroendocrine tumors; prognosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Neoplasm Grading
Neuroendocrine Tumors* / diagnosis
Neuroendocrine Tumors* / pathology
Neuroendocrine Tumors* / therapy
Prognosis