Molecular targets in medullary thyroid carcinoma

A high percentage of thyroid cancer has been associated with a number of oncogenic genetic variations. The RET proto-oncogene (REarranged during Transfection; RET) is thought to play an important role in the etiology of thyroid tumours and is clearly implicated in Medullary thyroid carcinoma. RET variations which confer oncogenic gain of function, appear to result in the development of cancer due to uncontrolled cellular proliferation as well as failure to undergo normal differentiation and the loss of apoptotic functions. Understanding the biological role of the RET proto-oncogene in thyroid carcinoma is an important area of biomedical research which leads not only to better understanding of the pathophysiological changes involved in oncogenesis but also determines the optimal management and identifies molecular targets allowing the development of novel therapeutic approaches. This review looks at the structure and function of the RET proto-oncogene, its understood method of activation and important molecular targets identified to date. It also studies agents used for novel molecular targeting in treatment of thyroid carcinomas.