What are mismatch repair proteins? Mismatch repair proteins (MMR) are a system inside all normal, healthy cells for fixing mistakes in our genetic material (DNA). The system is made up of different proteins and the four most common are called MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2. The four MMR proteins MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2 work …
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Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a rare type of thyroid cancer that starts from C cells (also called parafollicular cells). The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. Most thyroid cancers begin in follicular cells, which make thyroid hormone. Medullary thyroid carcinoma differs because it arises from C cells, which produce a hormone …
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Mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in mesothelial cells — the specialized cells that form a thin lining around internal organs. This lining, called the mesothelium, is found around the lungs (the pleura), around the abdominal organs (the peritoneum), and around the heart (the pericardium). The large majority of mesotheliomas — roughly 75–80% — arise …
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Melanoma in situ is an early, non-invasive form of skin cancer that arises from melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. In healthy skin, melanocytes sit in a neat row at the bottom of the epidermis — the thin outer layer of the skin. In melanoma in situ, these cells have become cancerous and have grown in abnormal …
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HPV-associated squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of cervical cancer. It develops from squamous cells, the flat cells that line the outer surface of the cervix, following persistent infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Most cases develop slowly over many years from a precancerous condition called high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). …
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Ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. It starts from the cells that line the small tubes (ducts) inside the pancreas. These cells normally help carry digestive fluids made by the pancreas into the small intestine. In ductal adenocarcinoma, cells begin to grow abnormally and invade surrounding tissue. Over time, the cancer may spread …
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Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare type of skin cancer. It is a kind of neuroendocrine tumor, meaning it develops from neuroendocrine cells in the skin. Neuroendocrine cells are specialized cells that send signals by releasing chemical messengers in response to nerve activity. Merkel cell carcinoma tends to grow quickly and is more likely to …
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Well differentiated liposarcoma is a type of sarcoma, which is a cancer that starts in connective tissues such as fat, muscle, or bone. In this tumor, the cancer cells come from fat cells (adipocytes). Under the microscope, the cells still resemble fat cells, but they appear more abnormal in size and shape than normal fat …
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Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of stomach cancer, accounting for about 90 to 95% of all cases. It starts in the gland-forming cells that line the inside of the stomach — cells that normally produce mucus and digestive juices to protect the stomach and help it break down food. In adenocarcinoma, these cells grow …
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Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary is a type of ovarian cancer named for the appearance of its cells under the microscope — many of the tumor cells have large amounts of a substance called glycogen inside them, which washes out during the preparation of the tissue slide and leaves the cell’s interior looking pale, …
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