How To Diagnose Neuroendocrine Tumors & What Is The Best Medicine For It?

A neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is a sporadic case of cancer that develops from cells of the endocrine (hormonal) and nervous systems. When you are diagnosed with this type of syndrome, you’ll have plenty of queries about what it is and how it will affect you.

If you have MEN2, you’re more likely to get neuroendocrine tumors such as pheochromocytoma, medullary thyroid cancer, and parathyroid gland. Every one in ten individuals with MEN1 has higher risks of getting a carcinoid tumor.

During such instances, your urine may be tested to check for elevated levels of specific products that are related to this type of cancer. However, they can be diagnosed in a perfect sense by an experienced pathologist. They clarify the cells’ subtype by examining the tissues using specialized stains.

Diagnosing a neuroendocrine tumor (NET) may begin with a visit to your family doctor. Your health care provider will check about your complete health history and check for symptoms if you have any. Based on your symptoms you may probably require a serious of laboratory tests.

Your diagnostic test will be purely based on the type of cancer, your sign and symptoms, your age and general health and the reports of the previous clinical tests. The analysis of this syndrome are often dependent on laboratory reports, imaging results, and tissue biomarkers in a biopsy sample.

Basically, the process of diagnosing neuroendocrine tumors is perhaps long and daunting. The reason because other types of endocrine tumors have similar symptoms. To clarify the specific type of cancer and to rule out other possibilities, you will often require to undergo the following tests.

• Biopsy- For your biopsy, your doctor may also look inside your digestive tract with a thin, flexible, lighted tube with a camera on the end called an endoscope. Peripheral biopsy basically, makes use of a deep needle or investigate to eliminate the infected tissue. The biopsy is the best probable way of diagnosing a tumor in most cases.
• Complete Blood Count- This type of blood test checks for chromogranin A (CgA), a protein that NETs release. When you have this type of condition, the NET increases the CgA levels in the blood. A complete blood count test measures the number of blood cells in the blood sample. When there is cancer or related health issues, your blood count may either be high nor low.^1,2
• Diagnostic Imaging- NETs are best worked up and managed using a variety of clinical and imaging studies. The diagnostic imaging is based on two types of imaging modalities
• Cross-sectional imaging
• Functional imaging.³

Although there are plenty of treatment options available for neuroendocrine cancer, yet the choice of treatment is invariably related to the location of the disease, the stage/grade of cancer, whether the tumors make or releases hormones and other health conditions you develop.

Let us see a few of the treatment options

Resection- Lung resection removes part or all of a lung. It is mainly used for typical and atypical carcinoid tumors.

Lymph Node Dissection- This is primarily performed to remove the lymph node. The rate of lymph node dissection was greater for advanced stages of cancer.

Cytoreductive Surgery- Six of seven patients with symptoms caused by the primary tumor obtained complete relief with this mode of surgery

Palliative Surgery – This is often performed to halt and ease the pain and signs of larger tumors and therefore enhance the quality of life.⁴

When an individual is diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor, they are affected both in physical and emotional levels. Therefore, to lead a normal routine, lifestyle changes are highly recommended.

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Also Read:

• Life Expectancy Of Someone With Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor
• What Causes Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor & Is It Curable?
• Best Exercises/Activities For Neuroendocrine Tumors
• Home Remedies For Neuroendocrine Tumors
• What Are the Ways To Prevent Neuroendocrine Tumors?
• What Happens To Untreated Neuroendocrine Tumors & When To Go To Doctor?
• Is Neuroendocrine Tumor A Progressive Disease & What Are Its Alternative Treatments?