Carcinoid Tumours

A slow-growing kind of cancer that begins in neuroendocrine cells is a carcinoid tumour (also known as a neuroendocrine tumour). Certain hormones and substances are produced in excess by carcinoid tumours in your body. Syndromes and symptoms may result from that. The course of treatment, which could include surgery, drugs, chemotherapy, or radiation, is frequently successful.

How common is carcinoid tumours?

Approximately 4 adults out of 100,000 get carcinoid tumours. In kids, they are considerably less common.

Are carcinoid tumours benign cancerous?

Carcinoid tumours are malignant, making them a subtype of cancer.

What signs might a carcinoid tumour have?

A carcinoid tumour signs and symptoms depend on:

A place where the tumour is.

Illness severity (i.e., how far along it is).

Which hormones the tumour secretes.

Especially in the beginning, many carcinoid tumours don’t manifest any symptoms. However, warning signs can occur when a tumour expands (metastasizes) or when too many chemicals produce discomfort.

Flushing on your face and neck is one of the most typical symptoms. Your skin could become heated and red all of a sudden. Alcohol, certain foods, and stress all have the potential to cause flushing.

Why do carcinoid tumours develop?

The cause of the cell proliferation that results in carcinoid tumours is unknown. However, they have connected them to genetic disorders, such as:

You can develop tumours in your thyroid, parathyroid, or adrenal glands as a result of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1).

The condition known as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) makes your pituitary, parathyroid, or pancreas hyperactive or tumour-prone.

In the uncommon illness known as Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, benign tumours develop throughout the body.

Having neurofibromatosis type 1 causes tumours to develop on your skin and nerves, damaging your eyes and other body organs.

How are NETs identified?

Carcinoid tumours are frequently discovered by chance when patients are having tests for other diseases. For instance, a medical professional might detect a carcinoid tumour while:

• Colonoscopy (lower endoscopy) for colon cancer detection.
• When a person gets appendicitis, appendix removal surgery is performed.
• To check for an ulcer during an upper endoscopy.

But if a medical professional notices flushing or other symptoms and thinks you could have a carcinoid tumour, they might ask for:

• Biochemical analyses, count the number of chemicals and hormones present in a blood or urine sample.
• Endoscopy is a procedure that allows you to see within your GI tract by using a narrow tube with a light and camera at the end.
• MRI, CT scan, and other imaging procedures like those that take photos of your body.

What options are there for treating carcinoid tumours?

The course of treatment may include a mix of techniques, such as:

Analogues of somatostatin: These drugs, including octreotide, can reduce the amount of hormones, stomach acid, and other secretions produced.

Surgery: Removal of the tumour via surgery may treat a localised illness.

Chemotherapy: Compared to other malignancies, GI cancers are less responsive to chemotherapy. However, it might be applied to spread carcinoid tumours.

Conclusion

A slow-growing cancer that begins in neuroendocrine cells is called a carcinoid tumour (also known as a neuroendocrine tumour). Although it can happen everywhere in your body, the small intestine is where it happens most frequently. Chemotherapy and surgery are just two of the possible treatment options. The optimal course of therapy will be discussed with you by your healthcare practitioner.