Cancers 2010, 2(4), 1901-1910; doi:10.3390/cancers2041901
Review

Molecular Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Florian Ehehalt* email, Ellen Frankeemail, Christian Pilarskyemail and Robert Grützmannemail
Department for General, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 19 October 2010; in revised form: 8 November 2010 / Accepted: 16 November 2010 / Published: 18 November 2010
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pancreatic Cancer)
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Abstract: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are rare primary neoplasms of the pancreas and arise sporadically or in the context of genetically determined syndromes. Depending on hormone production and sensing, PNETs clinically manifest due to a hormone-related syndrome (functional PNET) or by symptoms related to tumor bulk effects (non-functional PNET). So far, radical surgical excision is the only therapy to cure the disease. Development of tailored non-surgical approaches has been impeded by the lack of experimental laboratory models and there is, therefore, a limited understanding of the complex cellular and molecular biology of this heterogeneous group of neoplasm. This review aims to summarize current knowledge of tumorigenesis of familial and sporadic PNETs on a cellular and molecular level. Open questions in the field of PNET research are discussed with specific emphasis on the relevance of disease management.
Keywords: pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors; genetics; pathogenesis; menin; MEN-1; VHL; NF-1; mTOR

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Ehehalt, F.; Franke, E.; Pilarsky, C.; Grützmann, R. Molecular Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Cancers 2010, 2, 1901-1910.

AMA Style

Ehehalt F, Franke E, Pilarsky C, Grützmann R. Molecular Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Cancers. 2010; 2(4):1901-1910.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ehehalt, Florian; Franke, Ellen; Pilarsky, Christian; Grützmann, Robert. 2010. "Molecular Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors." Cancers 2, no. 4: 1901-1910.

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