ASCL1 and cancer: To substantiate the microarray results, qRT-PCR was performed on the following 10 out of the 39 genes: neuroendocrine-associated genes (INSM1, ASCL1, NRCAM, and SNAP25), one gene centered in the gene regulatory network (NUF2), and 5 possible cancer-associated genes (PTP4A3, RFC4, REST, APEH, and FBLN2).