Genetic causes of tumors in salivary glands

(University of Erlangen-Nuremberg) Acinic cell carcinoma is the third most common malignant form of salivary gland cancer. These tumors are similar to normal salivary gland tissue and occur most frequently in the parotid gland. Until now, the molecular causes for the illness were unknown. Researchers at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen at FAU, the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg and the Berlin Institute of Health have now been able to shed light on them.