Neuroendocrine Tumor Treatment Cost in India

A neuroendocrine tumor is an extremely rare and unique type of cancer. Cancer is a disease in which the body’s cells begin to divide uncontrollably and spread locally and to distant locations. Most cancers start in certain regions of the body, such as the lungs, kidneys, mouth, testes, and ovary.

A neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is a type of tumour that affects the nervous system. NETs develop slowly, and symptoms may not present for several years before the tumour is discovered. Neuroendocrine tumors are most commonly found in the following spots:

1. Carcinoid tumors(Lung)
2. Pancreatic NETs
3. Lung Nuroendocrine Tumor
4. Small Intestine Neuroendocrine Tumor
5. Large Intestine Neuroendocrine Tumor
6. Neuroendocrine Tumor of Liver
7. Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor

Neuroendocrine tumors can be seen in a variety of locations, including the thyroid, adrenals, cervix, vagina, and ovary.

It’s crucial to understand that neuroendocrine cancer of the lungs, stomach, and other organs is different from regular cancer (carcinomas) of these organs.

Neuroendocrine tumours are cancers that can form any place where endocrine cells exist. Endocrine cells assist in the regulation of a variety of bodily functions, including growth, reproduction, and metabolism. They can be found all over the body, although the lungs, small intestines, and pancreas are the most prevalent sites for tumor development.

What is Neuroendocrine System?

The endocrine system is a messenger system that regulates distant target organs through feedback loops of hormones secreted by internal glands of an organism straight into the circulatory system. The hypothalamus is the neurological control centre for all endocrine systems in vertebrates.

Nerve and gland cells make up the neuroendocrine system. It produces hormones and delivers them into the bloodstream, allowing the body to function properly. The words neuro and endocrine refer to the cells that make up the endocrine system. Neuroendocrine cells can be found in a variety of body organs, including the intestine, lung, stomach, and pancreas.

Sign and Symptoms of Neuroendocrine Tumors

Because there is no uniform set of sign and symptoms for neuroendocrine tumors, they might be detected for a variety of causes. A symptom, such as tiredness, nausea, or discomfort, is something that only the person experiencing it can identify and explain. A symptom is something that can be identified and measured by others, such as a fever, rash, or an increased pulse. Signs and symptoms, when combined, can assist describe a medical condition.

The following tumor-related symptoms or signs may be experienced depending on the type of Neuroendocrine tumor:

1. Unexplained Weightloss 
2. Loss of appetite
3. Pain in a specific region that doesn’t seem to go away
4. A bulge or thickening in any area of the body
5. Vomiting or nausea
6. Coughing or hoarseness that is persistent
7. Changes in the way you eat or how you use the bathroom
8. The yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes is known as jaundice.
9. Bleeding or discharge that is unusual

Symptoms related to release of hormones:

1. Ulcer
2. Skin Rash
3. Diarrhea
4. Anxiety
5. Hypoglycemia
6. Facial Flushing

What are the Causes of Neuroendocrine Tumor?

Neuroendocrine tumors are unknown in their specific cause. These malignancies start in neuroendocrine cells, which are similar to nerve cells and hormone-producing cells in appearance. Neuroendocrine cells can be found all over the body.

Although the specific causes of Neuroendocrine Tumor are unknown, there are a few factors that raise the chance of malignancy:

1. Genes
2. Excess use of Tobacco
3. Family history
4. Weakened Immune System

Neuroendocrine tumor are caused by alterations (mutations) in the DNA of neuroendocrine cells. The instructions that inform a cell what to do are stored in its DNA. The alterations cause the neuroendocrine cells to proliferate and create a tumor.

Some neuroendocrine tumors progress at a glacial pace. Others are malignancies that invade and destroy normal body tissue or spread to other places of the body (metastasize).