Closing the Gap: Underrecognition and the Critical Need for Early Diagnosis in Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

In ‘Closing the Gap: Underrecognition and the Critical Need for Early Diagnosis in Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma,’ the expert oncologists examined the following critical questions:

Do you believe that extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas are underrecognized in clinical practice?

Why is an early diagnosis critical for patients?

Led by the moderator, the panelists discussed how extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma (epNEC) remains underrecognized in clinical practice, in part due to the evolving pathologic classification system that was not clearly defined until World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines were updated in 2017, with many institutions still catching up to consistently distinguishing poorly differentiated carcinomas from well-differentiated tumors. The panelists noted that misdiagnosis remains a challenge even at high-volume centers, and that a lack of familiarity with epNEC in community settings can delay referral to appropriate specialists and slow the initiation of treatment.

Throughout the conversation, the experts provided a comprehensive reflection on the field and the factors that may shape how clinicians approach care moving forward.

Our next episode, ‘Navigating the Human Side of Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: Patient Burden and Caregiver Support,’ further explores extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma, highlighting the significant clinical burden placed on patients, the resources available to support them, and the critical role caregivers play in shared decision-making.