Iran Biomed J. 2018 May 01;22(3):142-50. doi: 10.22034/ibj.22.3.142. Epub 2017 Nov 11.
Iranian biomedical journal
Fatemeh Khatami, Seyed Mohammad Tavangar
PMID: 29126344 PMCID: PMC5889499 DOI: 10.22034/ibj.22.3.142
Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is an infrequent, calcitonin producing neuroendocrine tumor and initiates from the parafollicular C cells of the thyroid gland. Several genetic and epigenetic alterations are collaterally responsible for medullary thyroid carcinogenesis. In this review article, we shed light on all the genetic and epigenetic hallmarks of MTC. From the genetic perspective, RET, HRAS, and KRAS are the most important genes that are characterized in MTC. From the epigenetic perspective, Ras-association domain family member 1A, telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter methylations, overexpression of histone methyltransferases, EZH2 and SMYD3, and wide ranging increase and decrease in non-coding RNAs can be responsible for medullary thyroid carcinogenesis.
Keywords: Thyroid carcinoma; Genetic markers; Proto-oncogene