Somatostatin Archives

Tag: Somatostatin

Somatostatin is a hormone that many different tissues produce, but it is found primarily in the nervous and digestive systems. The primary function of somatostatin is to prevent the production of other hormones and also stop the unnatural rapid reproduction of cells — such as those that may occur in tumours. The hormone also acts as a neurotransmitter and has a role in the gastrointestinal tract.

What does somatostatin do?

Somatostatin affects several areas of the body. In the hypothalamus, it regulates the secretion of hormones coming from the pituitary gland, including growth hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone. In the pancreas, somatostatin inhibits the secretion of pancreatic hormones, including glucagon and insulin. Finally, in the gastrointestinal tract, the hormone reduces gastric secretion and the emission of gastrointestinal hormones, such as secretin and gastrin.

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Neuroendocrine Cancer – tumour markers and hormone levels

By Ronny Allan Dec 01, 2024 23 Comments

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient AdvocacyCarcinoid syndrome, Carcinoid tumour, Chemotherapy, Cushing's syndrome, Gastrin, Glucagon, Insulin, Lanreotide, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN), NET syndromes, Neuroendocrine, Neuroendocrine cancer, Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), Pancreatic polypeptide (PP), Somatostatin, Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

NET Syndromes – chicken or egg?

By Ronny Allan May 15, 2024 7 Comments

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' but not one of associated 'Neuroendocrine Tumours'. So which comes first? I guess…

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Neuroendocrine Cancer – Horrible Hormones

By Ronny Allan Mar 22, 2024 15 Comments

Updated and reviewed 20th March 2024 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…