A 40-year-old member asked:
what are the tests for carcinoid tumors?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

Dr. Ritesh Rathoreanswered
Hematology and Oncology 30 years experience
Biopsy: Confirmation of diagnosis is via a biopsy; other tests include blood tests (blood counts, chemistries, serotonin, chromogranin), urine tests (for 5hiaa) as well as ct scans and octreotide scans.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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CA
A 24-year-old member asked:
Are carcinoid tumors benign?
3 doctor answers • 13 doctors weighed in

Dr. Shelby Terstriepanswered
Internal Medicine 20 years experience
No: Carcinoid tumors are not benign. They are typically (but not always) slower growing than other tumors. They can spread if not found and therefore should be removed.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Are the symptoms of carcinoid tumors bad?
1 doctor answer • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Scott Welkeranswered
General Surgery 27 years experience
Not always!: The most common place to have a carcinoid is the appendix. When the tumor is there, and most of the other common locations which are in the intestinal tract, you don't feel anything because the liver removes the hormones the tumors produce. Only when the tumors are large, outside the intestinal tract, or metastatic do the symptoms occur. They can get very bad then.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
CA
A 25-year-old member asked:
What are the symptoms of carcinoid tumors I should be looking for?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

Dr. Alexander Barkananswered
General Surgery 24 years experience
Carcinoid tumor: Carcinoid tumors can be found in several places in the intestines. They do not cause symptoms unless the liver is affected. Carcinoid syndrome can be associated with flushing, increase in blood pressure, irregular heart beat, etc. If a carcinoid is located with a bowel lumen it can cause blockage. Carcinoids can spread directly to other areas. Usually not by blood stream.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Mary Maluccio commented
Surgical Oncology 27 years experience
carcinoid is one variant of neuroendocrine cancer that has particular symptoms, elevated levels of serotonin, and a more indolent biology most of the time.
Sep 30, 2013
A 33-year-old member asked:
What's the safest way to treat carcinoid tumors?
3 doctor answers • 16 doctors weighed in

Dr. Arthur Helleranswered
Gastroenterology 43 years experience
Location? extent?: Tumors of neuroendocrine origin; can be hard to localize; can be in appendix, rectum, bowel, stomach/duodenum, ovaries, bronchi (breathing tubes), elsewhere. "low" malignant potential, but can be aggressive, spread; can cause abd pain, ;"syndrome" with flushing, wheezing, murmurs, etc. Small ones can be cured by surgical removal; may need chemo, embolization, or octreotide rx for symptom control.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
What are carcinoid tumors / syndrome?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jason Sampleanswered
General Surgery 24 years experience
Neuroendocrine tumor: It is a relatively benign type of tumor that can secrete a variety of hormones, most notably serotonin. They are most commonly found in the gut or the lungs. They do not come from the lining of the lungs or the gut (as adenocarcinomata do). They come from a different line of cells.
Carcinoid syndrome occurs when large amounts of serotonin get into the bloodstream, assoc with flushing and diarrhea.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Jun 6, 2015
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