My friend with carcinoid is going to start interferon treatment. is this widely recommended? her tumor cannot be localized.

Yes: Symptoms (flushing, diarrhea, wheeze) are usually controlled with somatostatin analogs and interferon alfa. Second-line treatment for management of symptoms involves the use of radionuclide-targeted therapy or hepatic transarterial embolization and possibly chemotherapy. However, chemotherapy for midgut carcinoids lacks efficacy, with response rates of <25%. Newer experimental treatments exists.

Acceptable treatment: You don't provide enough clinical data for a more meaningful answer. Interferon is an acceptable treatment for systemic mastocytosis. However, if your friend wishes to have another opinion, he should go to one of the medical centers that specialize in mastocytosis. The list can be found on the web site of the mastocytosis society, http://tmsforacure.Org/patients/research_centers_1.Php.