Carcinoid syndrome is a pattern of symptoms that occurs in people who have carcinoid tumours. The symptoms are caused by hormones and chemicals produced by the carcinoid tumour and, in many cases, these symptoms are actually worse than the effects of the growth of the tumour itself.
Carcinoid tumours were first identified in Europe in the mid-1800s as a specific, distinct type of growth. The name carcinoid was first used in 1907 to classify them as a type of tumour that fit midway between malignant (cancerous) tumours and ones that were benign (non-malignant).
Carcinoid tumours can be widely distributed throughout the body, but are usually found in the digestive system (50% of cases) or lung (30% of cases). In children, carcinoid tumours are usually found in the appendix. Once the appendix is removed, the cancer is usually cured.
Carcinoid tumours produce too much of certain chemicals and hormones and this can cause reactions in the body. One common chemical produced by carcinoid tumours is a hormone called serotonin. This hormone makes the blood vessels dilate (widen) and causes increased blood clotting, intestinal secretions, and motility (causing diarrhea).
Carcinoid tumours are rare, with 1 to 2 cases in every 100,000 people. It makes up less than 1% of all cancers.
Carcinoid tumours have been called "cancers in slow motion" because they tend to grow so slowly that people who have them usually live for many years, and sometimes have a normal lifespan. Unfortunately, some carcinoid tumours produce large amounts of hormones and other potent chemicals. This can cause "carcinoid crisis" or carcinoid syndrome, which may occur infrequently at first but may gradually happen more often.
Carcinoid syndrome often occurs without an obvious cause, but may be brought on by alcohol use or physical or emotional stress.
Serotonin is the most commonly produced chemical, but not all carcinoid tumours produce the same large variety of chemicals and hormones. It’s not known which of the substances cause each of the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome.
Surgical removal of carcinoid tumours can result in a complete and permanent cure of carcinoid syndrome. If it’s not possible to completely cut out all the tumour tissue, removing large portions of the tumour (debulking) can reduce the symptoms. Because most carcinoid tumours are very slow growing, debulking may relieve symptoms for a long time.
Injection of octreotide may reduce the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome and even inhibit or reverse tumour growth.
A technique called radiofrequency ablation uses radio waves to destroy carcinoid tumour metastases (parts of the tumour that have spread) in the liver that can’t be removed surgically.
Another way of debulking is to inject the liver artery that supplies blood to the tumour with a combination of embolic (blocking) material and chemotherapy medications. This shuts off the blood flow with its oxygen supply to the tumour and loads the tumour with tumour-destroying and growth-inhibiting chemotherapy. This way the chemotherapy is concentrated in the tumour, where it can have a much stronger effect.
Radiation treatment may also be used to treat carcinoid tumours. At some treatment centres, radioactive isotopes bound to specific chemicals or medications that readily collect in carcinoid tumours are injected to help control the disease.
It’s important to have a diet high in protein if you have carcinoid syndrome. Your diet should also be supplemented with certain vitamins, such as niacin, as well as minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and salt) when these are low due to diarrhea. Various medications may also be prescribed to control diarrhea and flushing.
People with carcinoid tumours should avoid alcohol as well as physical and emotional stress, since these can cause carcinoid crisis attacks. For the same reason, people should avoid adrenaline-like medications, including nasal decongestants and some asthma inhalers. Although some symptoms of carcinoid syndrome can be prevented with medication, the best way to manage carcinoid syndrome is to treat the carcinoid tumour.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For information on a given medication, check our Drug Information database. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2025. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Carcinoid-Syndrome
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