Definition

A gene that makes a protein that plays an important role in cell growth and differentiation and in the development of nerve cells in the body. Mutations (changes) in the RET gene may cause the protein made by this gene to become overactive, which may cause abnormal cells, including cancer cells, to grow. RET gene mutations have been found in certain genetic conditions, including MEN2 syndrome and Hirschsprung disease, and in some types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer and thyroid cancer. The RET gene is a type of proto-oncogene and a type of receptor tyrosine kinase gene.