Our improved understanding of molecular pathogenesis in endocrine neoplasms is the result of the extensive availability of high-throughput multi-omic platforms. The impact of great molecular discoveries has been seen in all aspects of patient care, from more accurate diagnostic accuracy, to individualized patient risk-stratification, tailored treatments, and surveillance programs. The molecular diagnostics performed in biopsied samples or in peripheral blood, also known as liquid biopsy, have been applied clinically to aid in the patients’ preoperative workup and to improve prognostication. In addition, revolutionary and highly sensitive molecular imaging studies such as 68-Ga DOTATATE and 18F-FDOPA PET/CT specifically for endocrine neoplasms often provide important information missed by conventional imaging studies.
Many endocrine neoplasms can be subcategorized by their molecular signatures that are associated with different tumor biology. Such information can be leveraged to individualize treatment and surveillance strategies. Because many of the enriched and/or dysregulated molecular features can be targeted with newly discovered inhibitors, treatment options for the endocrine neoplasms have expanded and become more specific to patient tumor molecular profiles with less toxicity.
This Research Topic aims to review the up-to-date molecular features of various endocrine neoplasms and to highlight the clinical applicability in all aspects of patient care including molecular diagnostics, risk-stratification, current and future treatments, and surveillance plans. The articles in this Research Topic describe several key subjects in thyroid cancer such as the clinical utility of molecular diagnostics, the clinical implication of hTERT regulation, personalized approach in thyroid surgery, and an update on therapeutics in medullary and non-medullary thyroid cancer. In addition, it includes the review of molecular features of various benign and malignant adrenal neoplasms as well as current and future treatments. Several articles also discuss sporadic and familial endocrine diseases involving parathyroid glands and gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with a focus on their molecular features and clinical applicability.
Our improved understanding of molecular pathogenesis in endocrine neoplasms is the result of the extensive availability of high-throughput multi-omic platforms. The impact of great molecular discoveries has been seen in all aspects of patient care, from more accurate diagnostic accuracy, to individualized patient risk-stratification, tailored treatments, and surveillance programs. The molecular diagnostics performed in biopsied samples or in peripheral blood, also known as liquid biopsy, have been applied clinically to aid in the patients’ preoperative workup and to improve prognostication. In addition, revolutionary and highly sensitive molecular imaging studies such as 68-Ga DOTATATE and 18F-FDOPA PET/CT specifically for endocrine neoplasms often provide important information missed by conventional imaging studies.
Many endocrine neoplasms can be subcategorized by their molecular signatures that are associated with different tumor biology. Such information can be leveraged to individualize treatment and surveillance strategies. Because many of the enriched and/or dysregulated molecular features can be targeted with newly discovered inhibitors, treatment options for the endocrine neoplasms have expanded and become more specific to patient tumor molecular profiles with less toxicity.
This Research Topic aims to review the up-to-date molecular features of various endocrine neoplasms and to highlight the clinical applicability in all aspects of patient care including molecular diagnostics, risk-stratification, current and future treatments, and surveillance plans. The articles in this Research Topic describe several key subjects in thyroid cancer such as the clinical utility of molecular diagnostics, the clinical implication of hTERT regulation, personalized approach in thyroid surgery, and an update on therapeutics in medullary and non-medullary thyroid cancer. In addition, it includes the review of molecular features of various benign and malignant adrenal neoplasms as well as current and future treatments. Several articles also discuss sporadic and familial endocrine diseases involving parathyroid glands and gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with a focus on their molecular features and clinical applicability.