Metastatic carcinoma of the adrenal gland from large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; report of a case

A 69-year-old man had undertaken left upper lobectomy (ND 2 a) with partial resection of the left lower lobe under the diagnosis of a primary lung cancer, T2N0M0, stage IB in June, 2002. The histopathological diagnosis was large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), T3N0M0, stage IIB. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 25. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed an enhanced tumor in the left adrenal lesion, 3 cm in diameter, in October, 2003. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a slightly low intensity mass on T1-weighted imaging and slightly high intensity on T2-weighted imaging without invasion to other organs. Tumor marker, NSE was slightly elevated on blood examination. Left adrenalectomy was performed with a surgical margin. Histopathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as metastasis of LCNEC. There is no evidence of recurrence for a year after surgery. Although a prognosis of LCNEC is poor in general, we should consider the resection of metastatic carcinoma of the adrenal gland from LCNEC for long-term survival expectantly.