Neuroendocrine lung tumors and disorders of the neuromuscular junction

We report four cases of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) or myasthe nia gravis (MG) associated with pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma having p rolonged survival. The tumors were atypical carcinoid or large cell neuroen docrine carcinoma. LEMS is associated with several neuroendocrine carcinoma s. Because some neuroendocrine carcinomas have a better prognosis, aggressi ve tissue diagnosis of lung cancer in LEMS is warranted. Whether the associ ation between MG and atypical carcinoid is a significant co-occurrence is u ncertain.