We recently featured a paper, on our News page, reviewing the role of serotonin inhibition within the treatment of carcinoid syndrome (CS) – news item here.
CS is the most frequent hormonal complication associated with some neuroendocrine cancers. It was first reported in 1954, and the classical symptoms are diarrhoea, flushing and abdominal pain but it is also linked to the development of Carcinoid Heart Disease: a topic discussed in one of our podcasts: Episode 8, where Neuroendocrine Cancer UK’s CEO Cathy travelled to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham to speak to Cardiac Consultant, Professor Steeds, about Carcinoid Heart Disease (CHD).
Timely screening and early diagnosis of CHD are essential, as there are no therapies that can reverse fibrotic damage to the heart: highlighting why early referral to multidisciplinary specialist NET centres is crucial and collaborative working essential – as outlined in another paper published this year by Das et al (full paper here).
On Thursday – July 20th – Channel 5 TV broadcast: Surgeons: A Matter of LIfe or Death: Episode 1 (available on My5 til Feb 2027) featured:
” … Hilary … suffering from a rare carcinoid tumour and faces a complex procedure …”
Some of you may have watched the programme.
The language can be quite dramatic and content may be upsetting for some, but this first episode follows Hilary undergoing surgery, to replace two valves and close over a hole in her heart, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Hilary a continued and full recovery.
Neuroendocrine Cancer UK booklet on Syndromes, including CHD, is available here and for further information visit our Understanding Neuroendocrine Cancer page
ENETs (2022) Guidance paper for Carcinoid Syndrome & Carcinoid Heart Disease is available here: with UKINETs Bitesize Guidance available to view and/or download here