Small intestine neuroendocrine tumor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Small intestine neuroendocrine tumor | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Gastroenterology/oncology |
A small intestine neuroendocrine tumor is a carcinoid in the distal small intestine or the proximal large intestine. It is a relatively rare cancer and is diagnosed in approximately 1/100000 people every year. In recent decades the incidence has increased.[1] The prognosis is comparatively good with a median survival of more than 8 years.[2] The disease was named by Siegfried Oberndorfer, a German pathologist, in 1907.[3]
A large fraction of cases are diagnosed after routine surgery for bowel obstruction.[4] Others may be diagnosed incidentally, or after investigation for carcinoid syndrome. The tumor typically produces serotonin, Tachykinin peptides and other substances, which cause flushing, tachycardia, diarrhea and in some cases fibrosis of the heart valves.[citation needed]
Neuroendocrine tumours are classified as functional or non-functional depending on whether hormone secretion produces clinical symptoms or not. In patients with metastatic small-intestinal NETs (SI-NETs), carcinoid syndrome is common and is characterised by diarrhoea, episodic flushing, bronchospasm, and often carcinoid heart disease leading to right-sided valvular dysfunction. [5] Patients with non-functional SI-NETs are frequently asymptomatic or may present with non-specific symptoms, resulting in metastatic disease at diagnosis in approximately 27–73% of cases. [6][7]
There are often several small and highly fibrotic tumors present in the intestine. The tumors often spread to the mesenteries and the liver.[citation needed]