Gastrin - Ronny Allan - Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer

16Mar 2023 by Ronny Allan No Comments

Experimental drug for Gastric NET – Netazepide

Gastric NETs When I wrote my post entitled "Spotlight on Gastric Neuroendocrine Neoplasms", I explained what these were with some emphasis on the association with hypergastrinemia (elevated fasting serum gastrin levels) with Type 1 and 2 gNETs being differentiated by the settings in which this occurs. This oversecretion is not the same as so called carcinoid syndrome found in other gastrointestinal NETs. Many people with a Gastric NET will already have acid reflux related issues and many will be taking medications such as proton pump inhibitors. But I was surprised to find there was not an approved targeted medication that aims to decrease gastrin levels. It's true to say that somatostatin analogues (SSA) inhibit the secretion of many NET associated hormones including gastrin but SSAs are not routinely prescribed for…

22Feb 2023 by Ronny Allan 2 Comments

A spotlight on Gastric Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

A spotlight on NENs - Types, Awareness, Patient Advocacy, Spotlight on NENs - Types Series, Treatment

What are Gastric NENsUnlike other anatomical types, the word Gastric is used to indicate a tumour (NET) or carcinoma (NEC) in the stomach. The stomach lies at the bottom of your oesophagus and connects to the first part of the small intestine (the duodenum). Clearly a key part of the gastrointestinal system, it processes food on its journey downwards.The stomach produces strong acid. This kills many microorganisms that might have been swallowed along with the food. It also contains special chemicals called enzymes. These are important for breaking down the food so it can be absorbed by the body. After it leaves the stomach, the partially digested food passed into the intestines where it begins to be absorbed.The main parts of the stomach are shown below (often this can give…

05Feb 2019 by Ronny Allan 1 Comment

Proton Pump Inhibitors (…..and H2 Blockers) the NET Effect

The NET Effect Series, Treatment

What are Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)?Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly used medications in the world. They reduce the production of acid by blocking the enzyme in the wall of the stomach that produces acid. Acid is necessary for the formation of most ulcers in the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum, and the reduction of acid with PPIs prevents ulcers and allows any ulcers that exist in the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum to heal. PPIs are prescribed to treat acid-related conditions such as:Esophageal, duodenal and stomach ulcersNSAID-associated ulcerUlcersGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome - ZES (note this is a syndrome associated with a functioning duodenal or pancreatic NET known as a Gastrinoma)They also are used in combination with antibiotics for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that together with acid…

30Nov 2016 by Ronny Allan 7 Comments

NET Syndromes – chicken or egg?

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy

We’ve all heard the age-old question about the chicken and the egg? Scientists claimed to have 'cracked' the riddle of whether the chicken or the egg came first. The answer, they say, is the chicken. Researchers found that the formation of egg shells relies on a protein found only in a chicken's ovaries. Therefore, an egg can exist only if it has been inside a chicken. There you have it! On a similar subject, I'm often confused when someone says they have been diagnosed with 'Carcinoid Syndrome' and not one of associated 'Neuroendocrine Tumours'. So which comes first? I guess it's the way you look at it. In terms of presentation, the syndrome might look like it comes first, particularly in cases of metastatic/advanced disease or other complex scenarios. Alternatively, a tumour…

28Sep 2016 by Ronny Allan 23 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – tumour markers and hormone levels

A Spotlight on NENs - Testing Series, Patient Advocacy

BackgroundSome people on hear the terms "tumour markers" and "hormone levels" when they are diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Cancer. Most of them will have had a form of medical testing at some point in their life, i.e. the sampling and testing of blood, urine, saliva, stool or body tissue. In a nutshell, the medical staff are just measuring the content of a 'substance' and then taking a view whether this is normal or not based on pre-determined ranges. These tests are normally done as a physician's reaction to symptom presentation or maintenance/surveillance of an existing diagnosed condition. Sometimes, abnormal results will lead to more specialist tests.In cancer, these tests are frequently called 'markers'. Most tumour markers are made by normal cells as well as by cancer cells; however, they are produced at…

16Oct 2014 by Ronny Allan 14 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – Horrible Hormones

Patient Advocacy

Hormonal imbalances are quite common in many conditions including day to day stuff. With Neuroendocrine Cancer, it can be a real challenge both at diagnostic and maintenance phases. In addition to the cancer angle, there's some strange stuff going on, inexplicable, frightening for the patient, an unwanted ingredient causing chaos!Until I was diagnosed with metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer, I didn't have a clue about hormones - it's one of those things you just take for granted. However, hormones are vital to human health (male and female) and it's only when things go wrong you suddenly appreciate how important they are. Hormones are involved in many conditions, not just an issue with Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) but the presence of over-secreting hormones (often called peptides throughout) is useful to aid a diagnosis, albeit…

Tag: Gastrin