Carcinoid syndrome refers to a set of signs and symptoms that occur in patients with a rare cancerous tumor called a carcinoid tumor.
Majority of carcinoid tumors are found in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs.
Mild carcinoid tumor can remain asymptomatic, and the symptoms may not surface until the cancer has reached advanced stage, thus making its cure more difficult.
Treating the cause, that is carcinoid tumor, is the mainstay of the treatment of carcinoid syndrome.
Signs and symptoms of carcinoid syndrome include:
Feeling of warmth on the face and upper chest with skin color changing from pink to purple.
Flushing lasts for a few minutes to few hours and may be triggered by stress, exercise or alcohol while it may sometime occur without any obvious reason.
Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the signs and symptoms.
Carcinoid tumors that secrete “too much” serotonin or several other chemicals into the bloodstream are the major cause of Carcinoid syndrome.
Carcinoid tumors are commonly found in your gastrointestinal tract, including
Most carcinoid tumors do not produce carcinoid syndromes and the symptoms are observed only when the tumor has reached advanced stage.
Advanced tumor secretes a very large quantity of chemicals which the liver cannot neutralize.
In case of mild carcinoid tumor, the secretions are little and your liver neutralizes them.
However, not all the cases of carcinoid syndrome are due to advanced tumors.
The exact cause of carcinoid tumors is still not known.
Making a diagnosis of carcinoid syndrome is done by performing several tests.
Talk to your doctor if experience any of the signs and symptoms. Your doctor may refer you to:
Getting prepared for the visit can optimize the therapy and help make the visit more fruitful. List out all the symptoms.
Write down your key medical information. Write down the names of all your medications, vitamins or supplements.
Ask a friend or a family member to accompany you during the visit.
Some typical questions can be:
A clear talk with your doctor can optimize the therapy and improve the outcomes. Prepare yourself to answer some essential questions from your doctor. Your doctor might ask you typical questions like:
Your doctor examines and evaluated your signs and symptoms to determine the possible causes. In case no obvious causes are found, your doctor may suspect carcinoid syndrome.
Further testing to confirm carcinoid syndrome include:
Your urine may be tested to look for the chemicals that form after breakdown of serotonin.
Elevated level of such chemicals could signal excess serotonin production in your body.
Remember serotonin is a common secretion of carcinoid tumors.
High blood levels of the protein chromogranin A, which is released by some carcinoid tumors, could signal carcinoid syndrome.
Imaging techniques such as CT, MRI or nuclear medicine scans can be used to identify and locate primary carcinoid tumor and to determine if it has spread.
Since abdominal carcinoid tumors are commonly found, your doctor may start with abdominal CT scan.
Treatment of carcinoid syndrome aims to treat the causative tumor and control the signs and symptoms by using medications. The choice of treatment option depends upon the size and location of the tumor.
Treatments include:
An entire or a portion your cancer can be surgically removed. If the cancer has spread extensively making surgery impossible, your doctor can recommend other treatments that shrink the tumor.
Injectable medications, such as octreotide and lanreotide can reduce the signs and symptoms, including skin flushing and diarrhea.
These drugs don’t reduce the size of tumor but may slow its growth. Common side effects include abdominal pain and bloating.
This treatment activates your immune system against the tumor cells. Injections of a drug called interferon alfa can slow down the tumor growth.
Side effects include fatigue and flu-like symptoms.
This process is called hepatic artery embolization. A catheter is inserted near your groin which passes an emboli through the artery that supplies your liver (hepatic artery).
The emboli reduces blood supply to cancer cells. This process is risky and is not widely available. Consult with your doctor to determine risk to benefit ratio.
Radiofrequency ablation kills the cancer cells by applying heat obtained from various sources. Likewise, cryotherapy works in the same line but uses freezing temperature to destroy the tumor.
It uses chemicals to kill or shrink the tumor. The side effects of chemotherapy are specific to the particular drug.
Various self-care measures can help you better cope with the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome.
These measures do not actually treat the condition but often make the symptoms more manageable.
Consult your doctor before applying any coping techniques.
These suggestions can be beneficial for you:
Certain triggers such as alcohol, large meals or stress can cause skin flushing. Keep track of what causes skin flushing and avoid them as far as possible.
Chronic diarrhea may cause deficiency of micronutrients. Talk to your doctor if multivitamin supplements are beneficial.
Consult your doctor to know more about a support group for people with carcinoid syndrome.
Update and expand your knowledge about your condition through authentic health information sources.
Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Stay physically active.
Manage your stress.
There are several complications associated with carcinoid syndrome, which include:
It is a condition in which your heart valves are thickened, causing abnormal valve functions which may lead to heart failure.
The signs and symptoms of carcinoid heart disease include fatigue and shortness of breath during physical activity.
Medications and surgery may be recommended by your doctor to alleviate the condition.
Your bowel may be obstructed by the carcinoid tumors that spread to the lymph nodes beside your small intestine.
The signs and symptoms of a bowel obstruction include severe, cramping abdominal pain and vomiting.
You may require surgery to correct bowel obstruction.
It is a life-threatening condition that occurs when your carcinoid tumor releases of an enormous amount of biologically active compounds.
The symptoms include
It occurs most commonly when your carcinoid tumor is exposed to triggers like an anesthetic medication.
Therefore, your doctor can recommend certain medication before surgery to reduce the risk of carcinoid crisis.
Your FindaTopDoc account is completely free. Find doctors & request online appointments. Participate in Health Journeys in over 100 specialty communities. Easy & secure access! Simple Facebook login.
FindATopDoc is a trusted resource for patients to find the top doctors in their area. Be visible and accessible with your up to date contact information, certified patients reviews and online appointment booking functionality.
Claim Your Free Profile
