Neuroendocrine Tumours
Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) arise from specialised cells that release hormones in response to signals from the nervous system. They can grow almost anywhere in the body but most commonly appear in the gut, pancreas, and lungs. Many NETs grow slowly and remain symptom-free for years, which is one reason diagnosis is often delayed. Cancer registries have recorded rising incidence over the past two decades, partly due to improved imaging.
Key points
- These tumours develop from hormone-releasing cells and most often appear in the gut, pancreas, or lungs, frequently growing so slowly they escape notice for years.
- Because many of these tumours carry receptors sensitive to the mTOR pathway, targeted drugs such as everolimus are often used instead of standard chemotherapy.
- Care is coordinated by a specialist team, with response tracked through imaging scans and blood markers such as chromogranin A.
Targeted therapy for NETs
Because many NETs over-express receptors sensitive to mTOR pathway signals, targeted agents rather than conventional chemotherapy are often the front-line medical approach. Everolimus inhibits mTOR and has demonstrated meaningful delay in tumour progression for pancreatic and non-functional gastrointestinal NETs. It sits within the broader oncology support range available through ZoneMD.
Any NET treatment plan is managed by a specialist team; response is monitored through imaging and tumour markers such as chromogranin A.