Publication
Title
Clinical applications of (epi)genetics in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms : moving towards liquid biopsies
Author
Abstract
High-throughput analysis, including next-generation sequencing and microarrays, have strongly improved our understanding of cancer biology. However, genomic data on rare cancer types, such as neuroendocrine neoplasms, has been lagging behind. Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) develop from endocrine cells spread throughout the body and are highly heterogeneous in biological behavior. In this challenging disease, there is an urgent need for new therapies and new diagnostic, prognostic, follow-up and predictive biomarkers to aid patient management. The last decade, molecular data on neuroendocrine neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, termed gastroenteropancreatic NENs (GEP-NENs), has strongly expanded. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the recent advances on (epi)genetic level and highlight their clinical applications to address the current needs in GEP-NENs. We illustrate how molecular alterations can be and are being used as therapeutic targets, how mutations in DAXX/ATRX and copy number variations could be used as prognostic biomarkers, how far we are in identifying predictive biomarkers and how genetics can contribute to GEP-NEN classification. Finally, we discuss recent studies on liquid biopsies in the field of GEP-NENs and illustrate how liquid biopsies can play a role in patient management. In conclusion, molecular studies have suggested multiple potential biomarkers, but further validation is ongoing.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Reviews in endocrine and metabolic disorders. - Dordrecht, 2000, currens
Publication
Dordrecht : Kluwer Academic Publishers , 2019
ISSN
1389-9155 [print]
1573-2606 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S11154-019-09508-W
Volume/pages
20 :3 (2019) , p. 333-351
ISI
000496017800008
Pubmed ID
31368038
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
GENOMED - Genomics in Medicine.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 09.12.2019
Last edited 02.01.2025
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