Let’s be clear about Neuroendocrine Tumours – it’s a cancer!
Dear Readers Another week and another discussion about 'benign vs malignant' in my group. Let's put that into context and dispel one big myth. I write many blogs but one thing I always emphasise is the heterogenous nature of something called Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. That is a 'catch-all' term for both well differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumours (NET) and poorly differentiated Neuroendocrine Carcinomas (NEC). Notwithstanding the fact that there is a Grade 3 NET nowadays, the former is often described as 'slow-growing or 'indolent' in behaviour and the latter is almost always faster growing and a more aggressive cancer. NEC is also frequently…
The 50 shades of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
If you read any authoritative source on this cancer, it will normally begin with "Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) are a group of heterogeneous tumours .............". The term heterogeneous means diverse in character or content; or a structure with dissimilar components or elements. This is not surprising as these tumours are found in Neuroendocrine cells throughout the vast majority of the human anatomy. And yet, when you look at many hospital/healthcare sites, advocate organisation sites, and cancer information sources not maintained by Neuroendocrine Cancer scientists or specialists, you might start to think there is just one big type of NET and only…
The Classification, Grading and Staging of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (incorporating WHO 2022 classification changes)
- Updated 11th March 2024 - This section of my website has been published since 2015 but the most recent update to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Classification of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms is so significant, so gamechanging, that I have re-released the updated text. You may see these important publications called 'Blue Books'. Words are very important in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs). Nomenclature has important meaning and context more than most other cancers due to the heterogeneity of this group of neoplasms. Grade and Stage are two factors inextricably linked to the nomenclature and while there have been less changes in these…
A tribute to the life and legacy of Miranda Filmer
It's true to say that Neuroendocrine Cancer is an older person's disease, the epidemiology is clear on that. But I do see many young people diagnosed. In my own experience and observation, I normally see three main scenarios with younger people; an incidentally discovered appendiceal NET after appendicitis, someone with hereditary NET (e.g. Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN)) or an aggressive version of the disease. There are others but I find these are the most common scenarios I see in younger people. For me personally, as a father and a grandfather, it's often heart-breaking to read these stories. I wanted to…