What are hormones?
Hormones are necessary for many of the body’s normal activities to occur. They are vital to our growth and development, our appetite and digestion, activity and sleep – and also play a role in our immune response and mental health.
If our hormone levels are abnormally increased or decreased this can result in a number of symptoms or syndromes occurring that can affect both our physical and psychological well-being.
Hormones and Neuroendocrine Cancers
When neuroendocrine cells become cancerous – there is a risk of excessive or ectopic secretion of hormones. N.B. Less than half of all Neuroendocrine Cancers are associated with abnormal hormone release. Excessive secretion – also known as hyper secretion – occurs when the normal hormone release escapes normal control.
Ectopic secretion refers to the secretion of hormones by cells that do not normally produce and/or secrete the particular hormone, for example:
- ACTH release by lung neuroendocrine cancer cells
- PTHrP release by pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer cells.
For more information about hormones, types of hormones and hormone support, click here.
You can also watch the short video below by Psychotherapist, Kym Winter, where Kym provides some useful tips in managing hormone surges.