Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

It is defined as the malignancy of hormone producing cells of pancreas it is also called islet cell cancers. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are rare type of tumor.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors includes:

• Low blood sugar
• Jaundice
• Stomach ulcers
• Diabetes
• Constipation
• Weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Fatigue

Causes

The exact cause of the pancreatic cancer is not clear yet but it may be assumed that mutation in the DNA of hormone producing cells of pancreas can cause the cancerous growth of cells.

Diagnosis

After taking medical history and conducting a physical examination your doctor might recommend a following tests to confirm the diagnosis:

• Biopsy to check the cell types and extend of disease
• Physical examination of abdomen
• Ultrasound to see the complete structures of abdomen
• Blood test to check serum enzymes level

Treatment

Treatment depend upon the type of cells involved and severity of malignancy, treatment options include:

• Surgical removal of malignant portion of pancreas
• Radioactive substance injected into vein like peptide receptor radionuclide therapy to kill the cancerous cells
• chemotherapy