Etiological Observations in Seven Patients with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PNETs).

BACKGROUND/AIM Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are uncommon malignancies of largely unknown pathogenesis. Observations on patients and their families can provide clues on etiology. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a medical oncology practice cohort of 2,087 patients 5 females and 2 males with PNETs have been identified. RESULTS Observations of etiologic interest have been made in 2 patients with PNETs. One female patient belongs to a kidney cancer family with a balanced translocation t(3;11)(q13;q21). A second female patient with PNET had a de novo translocation (t3;5)(q27;q14), its braking point could contain a tumor suppressor gene. CONCLUSION Chromosome studies in patients with PNETs point to an etiologic role of balanced translocations.