Carcinoid Tumours
Carcinoid tumour of the endocrine system is a rare and slow-growing malignant growth. The tumour can appear anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, starting from the stomach to the rectum. It commonly occurs in the appendix, however. The tumour extends from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver, where it releases an excess of the hormone serotonin. Nearly 68 percent to 77 percent of patients are expected to live for five years, and the majority of cases are diagnosed early on.
Carcinoid tumours secrete such chemicals into the bloodstream as they grow larger, causing a variety of signs and symptoms known as carcinoid syndrome, says Dr. Sanjoy Mandal, who is considered to be the best surgical oncologist in Kolkata.
Risk Factors For Carcinoid Tumours
According to the cancer specialist in Kolkata, the following factors may put you at risk of developing carcinoids.
Family History
Carcinoid cancer is more likely in people who have a family history of type I multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN I).
Gender
Women are more likely than men to have this disorder.
Older Age
When you get older, the risk of developing carcinoid tumours rises. People over the age of 60 are more likely to develop it.
Symptoms of Carcinoid Tumours
The majority of these tumours are clinically silent, or signs may occur later in the course of the disease. The symptoms are primarily caused by elevated serotonin levels and vary depending on the tumour’s location. The cancer doctor in Kolkata says that if the carcinoid tumours are only found in the digestive tract, you will experience the following symptoms:
Abdominal pain Rectal bleeding, along with pain Blushing and flushing on the face Vomiting, nausea, and diarrhoea Difficulty passing stoolsIf the tumours metastasize to the lungs, you will experience the following:
WheezingBlushing and flushing on the face Purple or pink coloured spots on the skinShortness of breathChest painTreatment Of Carcinoid Tumours
As per the best cancer surgeon in Kolkata, treatment depends on the tumour’s size. Carcinoid tumours can be treated with a number of different methods. They are as follows:
Surgery : The treatment of choice is surgical resection to remove the tumour. It is recommended for patients who have a tumour that has spread to the liver.
Radiation therapy : It is a form of treatment that kills cancer cells. External beam radiotherapy relieves bone pain caused by the tumour’s spread to the bones.
Biological therapy : Drugs that boost the immune system’s ability to destroy tumour cells tend to slow tumour growth and alleviate symptoms. Interferon alpha, for example.
Medications : Drugs that block the hormone’s release by tumour cells can help to alleviate the signs and symptoms. Octreotide and lanreotide, for example.
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