Genetic mutation linked with rare adrenal cancer:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
New research has produced evidence to support the need for systematic gene testing in patients with pheochromocytoma, a rare form of adrenal cancer. US researchers have found that 24% of 271 pheochromocytoma patients tested carried one or more inherited mutations associated with the disease. The mutations, located in the VHL, RET, SDHB and SDHD genes, are significant as the patients would not have been considered at risk of developing the cancer, due to an absence of family history of other tumours or other personal medical history, report the investigators in The New England Journal of Medicine (May 9).