November is Neuroendocrine Tumors Awareness Month
JOIN WITH THE AACR TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO PREVENT AND TREAT Neuroendocrine tumors
Neuroendocrine tumors (sometimes called carcinoids) are rare, slow-growing tumors that usually start in the lining of the digestive tract and lungs. They can also occur in other parts of the body. Neuroendocrine tumors begin in the cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system, which makes and releases hormones and other substances that help control bodily functions.
Symptoms from neuroendocrine tumors can vary depending on their location. In some cases, such as with gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors, people may not experience symptoms in the early stages of the disease. In rare cases, patients may develop carcinoid syndrome, which can lead to flushing of the face and upper body, diarrhea, and/or difficulty breathing.
About 4 in 100,000 adults are estimated to be diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor each year. In adults, neuroendocrine tumors are most commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract with an estimated incidence of about 2 per 100,000 adults and an average age of 61 at diagnosis.
The number of people diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors is increasing, partly due to the fact that more patients are having CT and MRI scans, and the quality of these scans is steadily improving. Scans taken for other reasons can sometimes detect neuroendocrine tumors.
Treatment options for neuroendocrine tumors include surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radioactive agents. The median overall survival for patients in the United States with neuroendocrine tumors is 11.8 years, varying based on how advanced the cancer was when diagnosed.
Risk factors for neuroendocrine tumors include having multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome. Conditions that impact the production of stomach acid, such as atrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, can increase the risk of neuroendocrine tumors in the gastrointestinal tract.
for more information
Please see our page on Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors.
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