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Posted by admin in Early carcinoid tumors often cause no symptoms and are found by surgeons during unrelated surgeries or on x-rays for other conditionsMost GI carcinoids grow slowly, and the types of symptoms they cause are often vague. When trying to figure out what’s going on, doctors and patients are likely to explore other, more common possible causes first. This can lead to a delay in diagnosis, sometimes even for several years.
Most people with carcinoid tumors have symptoms similar to those of other intestinal tumors, mainly cramping pain and changes in bowel movements as a result of obstruction.Fewer than 10% of people with carcinoid tumors develop symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. Uncomfortable flushing, typically of the head and neck, is the most common and often the earliest symptom of carcinoid syndrome. Excessive contraction of the intestines may result in abdominal cramping and diarrhea. The intestine may not be able to absorb nutrients properly, resulting in malnutrition and fatty, foul-smelling stools.Heart damage may occur, resulting in swelling of the feet and legs (edema). Wheezing and shortness of breath may result from obstructed airflow in the lungs. Some people with carcinoid syndrome lose interest in sex, and some men have erectile dysfunction (impotence).Few symptoms are as followed:
- Facial flushing (redness and warm feeling over the face)
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain (caused by blockage of the intestines)
- Asthma
- Rash
- Heart disease
- Intestinal bleeding
- Pellagra (scale-like skin sores, diarrhea, and mental disturbances)
- Melena (dark, tarry stools that contain blood and usually indicate there is bleeding elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract)
Carcinoid tumors in the lungs and ovaries cause symptoms in response to hormones bypassing the liver and entering the bloodstream, which are:
- Cough (with or without bloody sputum)
- Wheezing
- Post-obstructive pneumonia (when a tumor blocking a large air passage causes an infection)
Managing symptoms
Below are some common symptoms of carcinoid tumors followed by information on how to manage them. For more information on managing common cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, visit PLWC’s section on Managing Side Effects.
Facial flushing. Avoid stress. Be mindful of certain substances and foods, including alcohol, that cause facial flushing and avoid them.
Heart failure. Ask your doctor about the use of diuretics (agents that increase the amount of urine excreted; diuretics act by increasing function of the heart).
Wheezing. Ask your doctor about the use of a bronchodilator (medication that relaxes the muscles in the lungs to make breathing easier).
Diarrhea. Ask your doctor about the use of anti-diarrheal medications.
