{"id":290244,"date":"2026-10-09T12:13:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pharmeasy.in\/blog\/?p=290244"},"modified":"2026-10-09T12:13:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:13:32","slug":"cancer-care-neuroendocrine-tumours-nets-symptoms-causes-stages-diagnosis-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pharmeasy.in\/blog\/cancer-care-neuroendocrine-tumours-nets-symptoms-causes-stages-diagnosis-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs): Symptoms, Causes, Stages, Diagnosis and Treatment\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<\/head>

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Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span>

Introduction<\/a><\/li>
What Is a Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET)?<\/a><\/li>
Types of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/a><\/li>
Grades and Stages of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/a><\/li>
Symptoms of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/a><\/li>
Causes of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/a><\/li>
Risk Factors<\/a><\/li>
Diagnosis of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/a><\/li>
Neuroendocrine Tumour Treatment Options<\/a><\/li>
How to Prevent Neuroendocrine Tumours?<\/a><\/li>
When to Consult a Doctor?<\/a><\/li>
Conclusion<\/a><\/li>
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/a><\/li>
References<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n \n <\/span>\n $\"Join$ \n <\/a>\n
<\/span>Introduction<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPersistent digestive problems, unexplained abdominal discomfort or pain, changes in bowel habits, flushing, weight changes, or ongoing tiredness can leave you wondering what might be causing them. In some cases, these symptoms may be linked to neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), which can develop in different parts of the body 1<\/a><\/sup>. This article covers everything you need to know about NET, including its causes, symptoms, types, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment options, and when to seek medical attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/span>What Is a Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA neuroendocrine tumour (NET) is an abnormal growth that develops from neuroendocrine cells 2<\/a><\/sup>. Neuroendocrine cells have features of both nerve cells and hormone-producing cells and they release hormones in response to signals from the nervous system 3<\/a><\/sup>. NETs have variable malignant potential and can occur in different parts of the body such as the stomach, intestine, lungs, and pancreas 3<\/a><\/sup>. Some NETs produce excess hormones^{<\/sup>and can cause different symptoms}2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Did You Know?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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All NETs do not grow at the same rate. Some grow at a faster rate, while others progress slowly ^{4<\/sup><\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n}
Most commonly, NETs are seen in the gastrointestinal tract 5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Some NETs can release an excess amount of serotonin hormone into the blood, leading to symptoms such as flushing, diarrhoea, wheezing, and a rapid heartbeat, a condition known as carcinoid syndrome 1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Types of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"types$ <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
There are different types of neuroendocrine tumours based on where they grow. These include:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Gastrointestinal NETs: <\/strong>These tumours develop in the digestive system and may occur in the stomach, small intestine, appendix, colon or rectum. They are among the more common types of NETs6<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Pancreatic NETs:<\/strong> These are also known as islet cell tumours and start in the pancreas (an organ located behind the stomach, which produces hormones like insulin). These are among the rare types of pancreatic cancer . Examples: Insulinomas, glucagonomas, gastrinomas, etc7<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Lung NETs:<\/strong> These tumours begin in the neuroendocrine cells of the lungs. They include typical carcinoids, which generally grow slowly and are less likely to spread, and atypical carcinoids, which tend to grow faster and have a greater chance of spreading to other parts of the body8<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Other NETs:<\/strong> NETs can also occur in areas such as the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, and skin. Examples include pheochromocytoma, medullary thyroid cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, etc2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Grades and Stages of Neuroendocrine Tumours<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The grade and stage of a neuroendocrine tumour (NET) describe two aspects. Grade helps doctors understand how quickly the tumour cells are growing and how aggressive they look under a microscope. Stage describes how large the tumour is and whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tumour Grades<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Grading of a tumour can be determined by different factors such as:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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How fast they are growing and multiplying\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Do they look similar to normal cells (well-differentiated) or\u00a0different from normal cells (poorly differentiated)\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Well-differentiated tumours are less aggressive than poorly differentiated ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on these, grades of NETs are:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Grade 1 (G1): <\/strong>These tumours usually grow and divide slowly and tend to be less aggressive (well differentiated and low grade).\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Grade 2 (G2): <\/strong>These tumours grow at a higher rate than grade 1 tumours and are considered to be moderately aggressive (well differentiated and intermediate grade).\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Grade 3 (G3): <\/strong>These tumours have a high growth and multiplication rate. Some G3 tumours are well-differentiated (less aggressive) and are called neuroendocrine cancers (NETs), while others are poorly differentiated and are highly aggressive, and are called neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs)9<\/a><\/sup>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
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