Incidental findings and Incidentalomas – NET or NOT
During my diagnostics, I presented to my general practititioner as someone with symptoms of iron deficiency anemia with some weight loss (not a lot but some). The GP at this point had no alternative but to refer me to secondary care where they had the tools to investigate further - e.g. imaging and endoscopies. The use of laborortory testing and imaging devices are there to not only back up the a doctor's clinical hypotheses but also to test them, i.e. these laboratory tests and imaging checks may lead to others. Differential checks are not misdiagnoses, they are part of the…
Neuroendocrine Cancer – I didn’t hear it coming
A Neuroendocrine Cancer awareness post by Ronny Allan. The sooner any cancer can be correctly diagnosed, the better chances of a curative scenario for the person concerned. However, some cancers are in the 'difficult to diagnose' category. Certain types of Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) are in this difficult to diagnose category due to the vague symptoms which may be mistaken for other diseases and routine illnesses. However, in many cases which don't seem to make the statistics, it can be incredibly quiet leading to incidental diagnosis including at an advanced stage. It's SNEAKY! Every year the advocacy organisations push out skewed…
Neuroendocrine Cancer – the diarrhea jigsaw
Reviewed and updated 5th July 2024Diarrhea can be a symptom of many conditions, but it is particularly key in Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) Syndromes and types, in particular, so called Carcinoid Syndrome but also in those associated with various other NET types such as VIPoma, PPoma, Gastrinoma, Somatostatinoma, Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.Secondly, it can be a key consequence (side effect) of the treatment for Neuroendocrine Tumours and Carcinomas, in particular following surgery where various bits of the gastrointestinal tract are excised to remove and/or debulk tumour load.There are other reasons that might be causing or contributing, including (but not limited to) endocrine…
Neuroendocrine Cancer: diagnostic dilemmas in July 2010
Every July, I think back to my diagnosis of advanced Neuroendocrine Cancer in 2010. I guess one of the reasons I do this is to be thankful that I'm still alive but also, I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm still trying to remember small detail from that period. It had felt surreal ever since 8th July when the secondary care investigating doctor sent me for a CT scan leading to a biopsy on 19th July. That scan and subsequent biopsy were to uncover some shocking detail of what had been going on inside my body, with no grand announcement, just…