$Unique_ID{BRK01909}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{What is Carcinoid Cancer?}
$Subject{Carcinoid Cancer cancers cancerous treat treated treatment treatments
characteristic characteristics symptom symptoms chemical chemicals circulatory
flush flushed flushing abdominal stomach cramp cramps cramping diarrhea color
skin cyanosis erythema disease diseases heart valve valves syndrome syndromes
tumor tumors body bodies liver medicate medication Medications drug drugs
prescription prescriptions surgery surgeries surgical surgically circulation}
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Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What is Carcinoid Cancer?


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QUESTION:  Please help me understand an important medical condition with a
name that is most confusing.  It is called "carcinoid", but the symptoms that
the person complains of don't sound anything like those I have come to
associate with cancer.  Is this a cancerous condition?  Can it be treated?  I
would be so grateful for anything you can tell me about this.

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ANSWER:  Carcinoid tumors are a type of cancer, but with some special
characteristics that do make them different, and which do produce a different
set of symptoms in the patient than other kinds of cancer.  Carcinoids produce
a variety of chemicals that act on the circulatory system which are
responsible for these symptoms, which include flushing, abdominal cramps,
diarrhea, and at times striking color changes in the skin from pallor to a red
hue (erythema) to a blue color (cyanosis).  When the disease also touches the
valves of the heart, the collection of symptoms is called "carcinoid
syndrome", and it is the discovery of these findings that leads to the
diagnosis in many cases.  The tumors are slow growing but do spread to other
parts of the body, most frequently the liver.  Medications to reverse the
effects of the chemicals can reduce symptoms, and the tumors can be removed
surgically if discovered at an early stage, 10 to 15 year survival rates are
not uncommon, in this relatively rare disease.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.