Hormonal crisis – Ronny Allan – Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer

Tag: Hormonal crisis

In the simplest of terms and in the context of Neuroendocrine Tumours, it is a dangerous change in blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing (technical term – cardiopulmonary hemodynamic instability). On an operating table under anaesthetics or an invasive procedure such as liver embolization, this can actually be life threatening. Incidentally, this happens with many other types of conditions (hormones and peptides do exist in other illnesses). However, with a patient already oversecreting these hormones and peptides, it could be a life or death situation.

The most common type is currently known as Carcinoid Crisis but this can also happen with catecholamine secreting NETs known as Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma where there might need to be significant pre-operative preparation in addition to peri-operative measures and post surgical treatment and monitoring, to prevent ‘Intraoperative Hypertensive Crisis

22Jan 2020 by Ronny Allan 11 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – Liver directed therapy

Treatment

Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) present complex challenges to diagnosis and treatment. Even in metastatic cases spreading to the liver, there are some important differences compared to the more common types of gastrointestinal tumours and pancreatic adenocarcinomas, e.g. their sometimes-indolent nature and their ability to oversecrete hormones causing distinct clinical syndromes. Also, the tumours are known to be highly vascular which is a feature where growth inhibition and symptom relief may be achieved by specific 'blocking' agents - this is particularly the case with liver metastases in well-differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs).Spread to the liver may occur from NETs of the foregut, midgut as well as hindgut. NET metastases are usually multiple and of varying size. In most cases, both liver lobes are affected, but widespread (miliary) seeding throughout the liver is seen…

14Dec 2016 by Ronny Allan 4 Comments

Neuroendocrine Tumours: a spotlight on Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

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

Updated 19th November 2023I spend a lot of time talking about the most common forms of Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs), but what about the less well-known types? As part of my commitment to all types of NETs, I'd like to shine a light on two less common tumour types known as Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas - with an incidence rate of approximately 8 per million per year. They are normally grouped together, and the definitions below will confirm why. If you think it's difficult to diagnose a mainstream NET, this particular sub-type is a real challenge.So, let's get definitions out of the way:Pheochromocytomas (Pheo for short)Pheochromocytomas are tumours of the adrenal gland that produce excess adrenaline. They arise from the central portion of the adrenal gland, which is called the adrenal medulla…

05Dec 2016 by Ronny Allan 6 Comments

Neuroendocrine – don’t let it be a Crisis

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Treatment

Update 15th November 2021. A study presented at NANETS 2021 produced data to suggest the causes and treatment for carcinoid crisis have been wrong and that a new model is required. Read the article here or by clicking on the picture.Author's note: This is probably a controversial conclusion in some circles and it's worth pointing out that so-called 'carcinoid crisis' isn't going away, just the need for time-consuming and expensive, and apparently ineffective according to the study, perioperative protection. And the study also noted that medication to treat complications was still required. I don't believe we should immediately dismiss this conclusion as one of the authors is a 'big hitter' NET Specialist surgeon (Dr Rodney Pommier) whose job is to keep patients safe on the operating table. The original article…