Neuroendocrine Differentiation of Lung Cancer Cells Impairs the Activation of Antitumor Cytotoxic Responses in Mice.

Lung cancer has the highest mortality among all types of cancer; during its development, cells can acquire neural and endocrine properties that affect tumor progression by releasing several factors, some acting as immunomodulators. Neuroendocrine phenotype correlates with invasiveness, metastasis, and low survival rates. This work evaluated the effect of neuroendocrine differentiation of adenocarcinoma on the mouse immune system.