Endocrine tumors of the digestive tract and pancreas: histogenesis, diagnosis and molecular basis.
Although relatively rare, endocrine tumors of the digestive tract and pancreas have been widely investigated and represent a complex tumor entity. The two major categories of well-differentiated and poorly differentiated tumors show important phenotypic and clinical differences. In well-differentiated tumors the multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome of Type 1 (MEN1) gene is frequently abnormal, though a complex multiple gene involvement is postulated for different tumor types. Poorly differentiated carcinomas show frequent p53 gene hyperexpression/defects, characterizing severe cell abnormality and possibly accounting for the malignancy of such carcinomas.
Rindi
G
G
Department of Pathology, Università di Brescia-Spedali, Civili, Anatomia Patologica 2, Piazza Spedali Civili 1, I-25124 Brescia, Italy. rindi@master.cci.unibs.it
Villanacci
V
V
Ubiali
A
A
Scarpa
A
A
D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*
C105373:MEN1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins