@article{3109074,
    title = "IGF-IEc expression is increased in secondary compared to primary foci in neuroendocrine neoplasms",
    author = "Alexandraki, K.I. and Philippou, A. and Boutzios, G. and Theohari, I. and Koutsilieris, M. and Delladetsima, I.K. and Kaltsas, G.A.",
    journal = "OncoTargets and therapy",
    year = "2017",
    volume = "8",
    number = "45",
    pages = "79003-79011",
    publisher = "Impact Journals, LLC",
    doi = "10.18632/oncotarget.20743",
    keywords = "insulin like growth factor IEc;  isoprotein;  Ki 67 antigen;  somatomedin C;  unclassified drug, adult;  Article;  cancer localization;  carcinogenesis;  clinical article;  controlled study;  female;  human;  human tissue;  immunohistochemistry;  male;  middle aged;  neuroendocrine carcinoma;  protein determination;  protein expression;  protein function;  protein targeting;  tumor biopsy;  upregulation",
    abstract = "Different Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA transcripts are produced by alternative splicing and particularly the IGF-IEc isoform has been implicated in the development and/or progression of various types of cancer. In the present study, we examined the potential role of IGF-IEc expression as a new immunohistochemical marker of aggressiveness in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). We utilized immunohistochemical analysis in tissue specimens of 47 patients with NENs, to evaluate the expression of IGF-IEc (%) and Ki-67 proliferation index (%). Specimens from patients with tumors of different tissue origin, of either primary or metastatic lesions and of different grade were examined. Cytoplasmic IGF-IEc staining was found in 23 specimens of NENs or NECs: 10 pancreatic, 4 small bowel, 3 gastric, 1 lung, 1 uterine and 4 poorly differentiated of unknown primary origin. Ki-67 and IGF-IEc expression was positively correlated in all the samples studied (r=0.31, p=0.03). IGF- 1Ec expression was more prevalent in specimens originating from metastatic foci with high Ki-67 compared to primary sites with low Ki-67 expression (p=0.036). These findings suggest a possible role of IGF-IEc in NEN tumorigenesis and progression to metastases that could be used as an additional new marker of a more aggressive behavior and a potential drugable target. © Alexandraki et al."
}