[Expression and co-expression of cellular oncogenes in the course of tumor progression in neuroendocrine lung tumors].

The tumours studied were as follows: benign carcinoids, well differentiated carcinomas (atypical carcinoids) and poorly differentiated tumours (small-cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation). Oncoproteins c-myc, c-fos, c-jun, L-myc, c-sis, c-ras, c-src, c-ets-1, c-met were studied immunohistochemically in the material obtained from 25 patients during the operations. A higher expression of c-fos, c-jun, c-ets-1 and c-met is observed at early stages of progression and that of c-myc and L-myc at later stages. Enhancement of c-myc and L-myc expression correlated with the invasiveness and lymphogenic metastasizing. Co-expression and negative correlation between some oncogenes are established. The data obtained may be used for prognosis and therapy.