Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Cancers

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 950

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Guest Editor
Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Level 8, IE Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228, Singapore
Interests: endocrine cancers; aberrant glycans
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Recent advances in genome, epigenome, and transcriptome analyses have greatly expanded our understanding of cancers arising in the endocrine glands, including the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and neuroendocrine glands. This knowledge has paved the way for precision and personalized treatments for both sporadic and hereditary forms of endocrine cancers. 

In the field of thyroidology, preoperative molecular markers have proven valuable for the accurate detection of malignancy in indeterminate nodules, reducing the need for unnecessary surgical interventions. Molecular and pathway-based analyses now allow for better prognostic classification and more reliable prediction of treatment response, especially for multikinase inhibitors. Meanwhile, genetic dissection of adrenal cancers and paragangliomas has uncovered key roles for IGF and WNT signaling pathways in tumorigenesis. Despite these advances, therapeutic progress for advanced and metastatic disease remains limited. 

In this Special Issue, we aim to focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying endocrine cancers and their translation into targeted therapeutic approaches. We welcome contributions spanning basic science, preclinical research, and translational studies, with the aim of advancing both understanding and management of endocrine malignancies.

Dr. Rajeev Parameswaran
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • thyroid
  • parathyroid
  • adrenal
  • paraganglioma
  • genomes
  • transcriptomes
  • signalling pathways
  • precision medicine

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 1525 KB  
Article
Whole-Blood Expression of Candidate Genes Linked with Pheochromocytoma in Post-Surgery Patients: A Pilot Study
by Timur Nurkhabinov, Kristina Maslova, Zarema Kokaeva, Anna Lugovskaya, Irena Ilovayskaya, Victor Popov and Lidia Nefedova
Biomedicines 2026, 14(2), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14020395 - 9 Feb 2026
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Abstract
Background: Pheochromocytomas (PCCs) and paragangliomas (PGLs), collectively known as PPGLs, are rare neuroendocrine tumors that produce catecholamines. The majority of PPGL cases are caused by germline and/or somatic mutations in over 20 different genes. A study of post-surgical PCC patients revealed a high [...] Read more.
Background: Pheochromocytomas (PCCs) and paragangliomas (PGLs), collectively known as PPGLs, are rare neuroendocrine tumors that produce catecholamines. The majority of PPGL cases are caused by germline and/or somatic mutations in over 20 different genes. A study of post-surgical PCC patients revealed a high risk of new tumor recurrence in both hereditary and apparently sporadic cases, suggesting that some germline mutations remain undetected. Since transcript levels can indicate gene dysfunction, our study focuses on the transcriptional profiling of PCC-associated genes in post-surgical patients. Methods: RT-PCR was performed on blood samples from patients and a control group. The t-SNE algorithm was applied to the transcriptional data. Sanger sequencing was used to identify mutations in the coding sequences of the VHL, SDHB, RET, and NF1 genes. Results: We obtained transcriptional profiles for 11 genes involved in the Krebs cycle and for 21 genes involved in the hypoxia, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and RAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathways. We identified a minimal set of 16 genes with stable transcription levels that can be used to differentiate PCC patients from controls. Germline mutations in the VHL, SDHB, RET and NF1 genes, which correlated with an altered transcriptional profile, were detected in three patients. Conclusions: Our pilot data suggest that transcript levels of the genes involved in Krebs cycle, hypoxia, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and RAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathways indicate their potential suitability as a candidate diagnostic marker. The results from this pilot study form the basis for a larger project to investigate gene transcription in an expanded cohort of patients who have undergone surgery for PCC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Cancers)
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