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Author Spotlight: Assessing the Potential of Circulating Tumor Cells in Leptomeningeal Disease Research
Published on: March 29, 2024
New Insights into Pheochromocytoma Biology: the Role of the Insulin - Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1) System
Patricia A Pennisi1, María Celia Fernández2, Ayelen Martin2
1Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" CEDIE, CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330 - C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina,
Abstract:
Pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas (PCCs/PGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors, developed from chromaffin cells derived from the neural crest. From a genetic point of view PCCs/PGLs are divided as sporadic cases, and inherited cases as part of hereditary (familial) syndromes. While the majority is benign, up to 26% of PCCs/PGLs will undergo malignant transformation. Validated prognostic pathological parameters for malignant PCCs/PGLs are still lacking. Signaling that follows the interactions between IGFs and their receptor/s in tumor cells received extensive attention when investigating the role of IGF1R in cancer. Increased IGF1R expression has been shown during progression to metastatic phenotypes and associated with worse prognosis in several types of cancer. In this review we provide evidence supporting a role for the IGFs system on PCC/PGL tumor biology and malignant behavior, endocrine actions to sustain tumor phenotype as well as heterotypic interaction´s regulation by IGF1, encouraging further research for targeted therapeutic options for these tumors.
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