NT-proBNP - Ronny Allan - Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer

Tag: NT-proBNP

N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is an inactive peptide released along with the active peptide hormone BNP when the walls of the heart are stretched or there is pressure overload on the heart e.g. by fluid overload. BNP then acts on the kidneys causing fluid and sodium loss in the urine and mild vasodilation so releasing the pressure.
In heart failure the heart cannot pump strongly enough for the body’s requirements, the heart walls are stretched and fluid starts to accumulate causing back pressure and hence more BNP to be released.
NT-proBNP is released into the circulation in equal amounts to the active hormone but is significantly more stable and hence forms a good marker of BNP output.
There are many factors which can affect BNP levels (see below) but a low level has been found useful in ruling out heart failure as an explanation of a patient’s symptoms (negative predictive value 97%) so that only patients with a significantly raised level need to be further investigated for this condition.
Used as an indicator to assess risk of Hedinger Syndrome (so called Carcinoid Heart Disease) via standard blood draw.

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…

02Jun 2015 by Ronny Allan 25 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – don’t break my heart!

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, Treatment

Neuroendocrine Cancer has certain unique features whereby tumours can produce one or more symptoms which are known collectively as a syndrome. Neuroendocrine Tumours secreting excess amounts of serotonin, can be accompanied by Carcinoid Syndrome which if not diagnosed and treated early enough, can lead to an additional complication known as Hedinger Syndrome (often known as Carcinoid Heart Disease (CHD)). However, very late diagnoses can present with CHD already in place.Excess serotonin, a hormone released by NETs into the bloodstream seems to be the prime and lead suspect for causing thick ‘plaques’ or fibrosis tissue within the heart muscle and damage to (mainly) the tricuspid and pulmonary valves on the right side of the heart which can become ‘tightly narrowed’ or ‘leaky’. It's very similar to the reasons for mesenteric and peritoneal fibrosis…