title: Nerve growth factor in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.
abstract: In a case of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid gland assay was performed for nerve growth factor bioactivity. The tumor extract showed significant amounts of nerve growth factor bioactivity, but extracts of normal thyroid and other types of thyroid neoplasms showed no such bioactivity. Nerve growth factor may be useful as a tumor marker in the diagnosis and management of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. It may play a role in the development of associated tumors of neural crest origin and may contribute to the development of cachexia in patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D009940:Organoids / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors