Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors | HealthInfi

About Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors

Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors most often begin in neuroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, primarily in the appendix, small intestine or rectum.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is responsible for digesting food, absorbing nutrients and water, and eliminating waste from the body. It comprises several organs including the stomach, large and small intestine and rectum.

The GI tract contains neuroendocrine cells which are a hybrid of nerve cells and hormone-making cells. Neuroendocrine cells produce hormones that help control digestive juices and the muscles that help food move through the stomach and small intestine.

Multiple GI carcinoid tumors may form simultaneously. These tumors grow slowly and often do not produce symptoms or cause problems for a long time. They are often found coincidentally during a diagnosis for another tumor or during surgery for appendicitis.

There is no such thing as a routine GI carcinoid cancer. Every patient’s disease is different, with different, individually unique genes and molecules driving that specific disease. The internationally recognized neuroendocrine cancer experts at the OSUCCC – James can analyze genetic information about the individual cells that make up a patient’s tumor.

If you’ve been diagnosed with GI carcinoid cancer, would like a second opinion or would like to speak with a neuroendocrine cancer specialist, please call The James Line at 800-293-5066 or 614-293-5066 to make an appointment.

If your doctor tells you that you’ve got a carcinoid tumor, there’s a lot to take in. The condition is a type of cancer, but unlike some other kinds, there’s more than one part of the body where it might start. And depending on where you get it, you could have a bunch of different symptoms, from pain in your belly to a bad cough.

All carcinoid tumors, wherever they show up, affect cells that make hormones. They’re part of a group of diseases called neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

Most carcinoid tumors start in one of two areas: your lungs or your digestive system, also known as the GI tract. That includes places like your stomach, small intestine, colon, appendix, or rectum. It’s not as common, but sometimes the tumors start in your pancreas, your testicles if you’re a man, or ovaries if you’re a woman.

Keep in mind that these tumors often grow slowly. And doctors often find them when they’re at an early stage, which makes them easier to treat.Read More