This is my little sister Sarah-Lenox's fundraising page. Please help donate to a good cause!
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12National?px=27686260&pg=personal&fr_id=41378
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Treatments for Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors
Dr. Tony Talebi discusses the management of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors.
Good info!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlH8R3HsSg
Good info!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlH8R3HsSg
Friday, February 24, 2012
What is Carcinoid Syndrome?
Carcinoid syndrome is a set of symptoms caused by some carcinoid tumors, which grow out of cells that are part of the endocrine system. These tumors sometimes produce too many hormones, such as serotonin, which cause the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome.
The most common symptoms of carcinoid syndrome include:
"The facial flushing of carcinoid syndrome is usually a dry flushing, and not associated with sweating like other kinds of flushing," says James Yao, MD, associate professor and deputy chair of the Department of Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "The flushing is often a symptom that others notice before patients do. They may not feel it themselves." These symptoms may be made worse by stress, physical exertion, or drinking alcohol. Eating certain foods, such as aged cheese like cheddar or stilton cheese, salted or pickled meats, or other foods that contain tyramine may also trigger symptoms.
"Stress and alcohol are definite triggers for the flushing," says Yao. "And stress and certain foods can trigger the diarrhea." These triggers can often be important clues in diagnosing carcinoid syndrome.
Carcinoid syndrome only occurs in about 10% of people who have carcinoid tumors. Although many carcinoid tumors produce hormones, these hormones often don't make it into the body's general bloodstream. This is because blood from the digestive tract usually flows through the liver before going out to the rest of the body. So the liver is able to dissolve any excess hormones before they can reach other parts of the body. But when the tumors have spread to the liver or other parts of the body the excess hormones can cause the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome.
The most common symptoms of carcinoid syndrome include:
- Diarrhea
- Flushing of the skin or face
- Heart palpitations
- Stomach cramps
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
"The facial flushing of carcinoid syndrome is usually a dry flushing, and not associated with sweating like other kinds of flushing," says James Yao, MD, associate professor and deputy chair of the Department of Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "The flushing is often a symptom that others notice before patients do. They may not feel it themselves." These symptoms may be made worse by stress, physical exertion, or drinking alcohol. Eating certain foods, such as aged cheese like cheddar or stilton cheese, salted or pickled meats, or other foods that contain tyramine may also trigger symptoms.
"Stress and alcohol are definite triggers for the flushing," says Yao. "And stress and certain foods can trigger the diarrhea." These triggers can often be important clues in diagnosing carcinoid syndrome.
Carcinoid syndrome only occurs in about 10% of people who have carcinoid tumors. Although many carcinoid tumors produce hormones, these hormones often don't make it into the body's general bloodstream. This is because blood from the digestive tract usually flows through the liver before going out to the rest of the body. So the liver is able to dissolve any excess hormones before they can reach other parts of the body. But when the tumors have spread to the liver or other parts of the body the excess hormones can cause the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome.
NET Cancer Day
What is Carcinoid Cancer?
Carcinoid cancer and related neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are small, slow growing tumors found mostly in the gastrointestinal system, but can be in other parts of the body such as the pancreas and the lung. Since most of these grow very slowly, compared to other cancers, it usually takes many years before they become sizable or cause symptoms.
Carcinoid tumors usually originate in hormone-producing cells that line the small intestine or other cells of the digestive tract. They can also occur in the pancreas, testes, ovaries, or lungs. Carcinoid tumors can produce an excess of hormonelike substances, such as serotonin, bradykinin, histamine, and prostaglandins. Excess levels of these substances can sometimes result in a diverse set of symptoms called carcinoid syndrome.
When carcinoid tumors occur in the digestive tract or pancreas, the substances they produce are released into a blood vessel that flows directly to the liver (portal vein), where enzymes destroy them. Therefore, carcinoid tumors that originate in the digestive tract generally do not produce symptoms unless the tumors have spread to the liver. The hormones secreted by other NETs, particularly those in the pancreas, do not necessarily require spread to the liver to cause symptoms.
When carcinoid tumors have spread to the liver, the liver is unable to process the substances before they begin circulating throughout the body. Depending on which substances are being released by the tumors, the person will have the various symptoms of carcinoid syndrome, insulinoma syndrome, Zollinger Ellison syndrome, VIPoma syndrome, etc. Carcinoid tumors of the lungs, testes, and ovaries also cause symptoms without having spread, because the substances they produce bypass the liver and can sometimes circulate widely in the bloodstream.
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