28Apr 2023 by Ronny Allan 2 Comments
A spotlight on 5-HIAA

A spotlight on 5-HIAA

A Spotlight on NENs - Testing Series, Patient Advocacy
Background. It's important to note that not every type of Neuroendocrine Neoplasm will get the same tests due to the heterogenous nature of this cancer type. Some are more specific than others.  A wide range of tests may be necessary at diagnosis if the type of NET is not clear. This post will cover one of the main tests to check for a common type of Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) that is known to secrete excess amounts of the hormone Serotonin leading to symptoms indicative of Carcinoid Syndrome.  These tumours are often labelled using the antiquated and misnomer term ‘Carcinoid Tumour’ but more and more healthcare organisations and specialists are avoiding use of this term for several reasons. Mainly because the word has been 99% removed from the widely accepted World Health Organisation…
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28Sep 2016 by Ronny Allan 23 Comments
Neuroendocrine Cancer – tumour markers and hormone levels

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…
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