What Causes Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors?

Cancers can be caused by DNA mutations (changes) that turn on oncogenes or turn off tumor suppressor genes. This leads to cells growing out of control. Changes in many different genes are usually needed to cause neuroendocrine tumors.

For more about how genes changes can lead to cancer, see Genes and Cancer.

 

Inherited gene mutations

Some DNA mutations can be passed on in families and are found in a person's cells. These are inherited (or familial) mutations. Inherited gene mutations only cause a small portion of neuroendocrine tumors.

Changes in 4 tumor suppressor genes are responsible for many inherited cases of neuroendocrine tumors.

• MEN1 (multiple neuroendocrine neoplasia 1). Changes in this gene account for most inherited cases. A smaller number are caused by inherited changes in the following genes:
• NF1 (Neurofibromatosis type 1) gene
• VHL (Von Hippel–Lindau) gene
• TSC1 or TSC2 (tuberous sclerosis complex 1 or 2) genes

Most neuroendocrine tumors are caused by sporadic changes (mutations) in oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Mutations are called sporadic if they occur after a person is born, rather than having been inherited.