Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
[Hereditary medullary thyroid cancer]
V Fendrich1, A Zahn2
1Klinik für Endokrine Chirurgie, Schön Klinik Eilbek, Dehnhaide 120, 22081, Hamburg, Deutschland. vfendrich@schoen-kliniken.de.
Abstract:
Parafollicular C cells progress via C cell hyperplasia to medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), which can be present even in the first years of life in multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2A and 2B patients. Basal calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are useful tumor markers for the diagnosis and monitoring. The prognosis depends on the stage when the disease is diagnosed and there is a good genotype-phenotype correlation with the RET proto-oncogene, which can be used for estimation of the risk. The risk-stratified prophylactic thyroidectomy plays a decisive role in the prognosis of known gene mutation carriers.
Related Concept Videos
The Retinoblastoma Gene
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...

