Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor

Overview

A gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor is cancer that forms in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract includes the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors grow slowly. Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors develop from a certain type of hormone -making cell in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. These cells produce hormones that help regulate digestive juices and the muscles used in moving food through the stomach and intestines. A gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor may also produce hormones. Carcinoid tumors that start in the rectum usually do not produce hormones.

Risk Factors

• Having a family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome.
• Having certain conditions that affect the stomach's ability to produce stomach acid, such as atrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia, or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
• Smoking tobacco.

Signs and Symptoms

The hormones produced by gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors are usually destroyed by blood and liver enzymes. If the tumor has spread to the liver, however, high amounts of these hormones may remain in the body and cause the following group of symptoms, called carcinoid syndrome:

• Redness or a feeling of warmth in the face and neck.
• Diarrhea.
• Shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, tiredness, or swelling of the feet and ankles.
• Wheezing.
• Pain or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen.

These symptoms and others may be caused by gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors or by other conditions. A doctor should be consulted if any of these symptoms occur.

Diagnosis

The following tests and procedures may be used:

• Physical exam
• Blood tests to check for overall health and signs of the increased hormone levels associated with this cancer.

Treatment

Different types of treatments are available. Treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy and or radiation therapy,. Patients may also be eligible for a clinical trial. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.