Carcinoid Tumor is Dangerous & Grows Slowly  – Why is it Difficult to Diagnose?

Introduction:

Carcinoid tumors present themselves in the gastrointestinal tract and can be either benign or malignant. Ten percent of individuals with carcinoid tumors will develop carcinoid syndrome. Those afflicted with carcinoid syndrome overproduce serotonin and often have symptoms such as wheezing, a reddening of the skin, and diarrhea

Causes:

Carcinoid tumors are caused by a genetic mutation within a cell. This mutation causes the cell to metastasize and develop abnormal characteristics. In the case of carcinoid tumors the cells then develop into cancer and / or cause carcinoid syndrome. Carcinoid tumors are also more prevalent in individuals who have a family history of the condition.

Symptoms:

Often an individual will not know that he or she has carcinoid tumors until the tumors begin to affect and grow in the liver.  However, once in the liver the patient will experience the effects of excess serotonin including flushing, diarrhea, heart valvular lesions, cramping, telangiectasia, peripheral edema, wheezing, cyanosis, arthritis, and pellagra.

Tests:

Carcinoid tumors are somewhat difficult to diagnose because they do not make their presence known until the disease is more advanced and be cause the symptoms are not specific to carcinoid tumors. However, there are some very effective tests to use in diagnosing carcinoid tumors. Chromogranin A (CgA) Testing is the most conclusive test for determining if a patient has carcinoid tumors and how they are progressing. However, this test also detects neuroendocrine tumors and because of this should be used in conjunction with the 5-Hydroxyindole Acetic Acid (5-HIAA) test and produces accurate results about three fourths of the time.

Prevention:

Unfortunately, there is no proven way to prevent carcinoid tumors all though it is suggested that quitting smoking may reduce the risk of contracting the condition.

Drugs / Medicine available:

Typically, if the carcinoid tumors are severe and especially if they have spread to the liver, chemotherapy may be administered to shrink the tumors and cause them to go into remission.

Treatments available:

Surgery to remove the carcinoid tumors is a common method of treatment and is sometimes used in conjunction with chemotherapy. An individualized treatment will be created for each patient based on the severity of carcinoid tumors, how patients react to treatment, and what treatment each patient prefers.

Future treatment methods:

Strides in carcinoid tumor treatment are being made alongside innovations in cancer treatment. These new treatments are being developed through clinical trials and include therapy directed against cellular receptors, cellular enzymes, cellular antigens, and targeting genes that lead to the development of carcinoid tumors.