TRK Protein Expression in Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Not Caused by NTRK Fusions.
Int J Mol Sci
; 23(23)2022 Dec 06.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36499693
ABSTRACT
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive cutaneous malignant tumor with neuroendocrine differentiation, with a rapidly growing incidence rate, high risk of recurrence, and aggressive behavior. The available therapeutic options for advanced disease are limited and there is a pressing need for new treatments. Tumors harboring fusions involving one of the neurotrophin receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) genes are now actionable with targeted inhibitors. NTRK-fused genes have been identified in neuroendocrine tumors of other sites; thus, a series of 76 MCCs were firstly analyzed with pan-TRK immunohistochemistry and the positive ones with real-time RT-PCR, RNA-based NGS, and FISH to detect the eventual underlying gene fusion. Despite 34 MCCs showing pan-TRK expression, NTRK fusions were not found in any cases. As in other tumors with neural differentiation, TRK expression seems to be physiological and not caused by gene fusions.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Skin Neoplasms
/
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Mol Sci
Year:
2022
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy