Expression of nicotinic receptors in normal and tumoral pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNEC).

Neuroendocrine (NE) tumors of the lung represent a wide spectrum of phenotypically distinct entities, with differences in tumor progression and aggressiveness, which include carcinoid tumor (CT) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Approximately 20-40% of patients with both typical and atypical CT are non-smokers, while virtually all patients with SCLC are cigarette smokers. Cigarette smoke contains numerous molecules which have been identified as carcinogens.