New Genes Linked to Development of Rare Neuroendocrine Tumors

Pheochromocytomas (PCC) and paragangliomas (PGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors. Many genes whose alterations or mutations confer hereditary susceptibility to develop these tumors are those that are involved in the Kreb''s cycle (cell respiration pathway). A team of researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Center have identified rare pathological variations in known PGL/PCC susceptible genes and also two new candidate genes that confer hereditary susceptibility.