Neuroendocrine Cancer

Overview of Types of Neuro-endocrine Cancers

Definitions

• Neuroendocrine tumours (NET): slow growing

• Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC): rapidly growing

Classification

• Syndromes/ systemic

  • Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN) 

  • Carcinoid Syndrome - serotonin

• Pituitary

  • Cushing disease- ACTH 

  • Prolactinoma- prolactin 

• Lung Cancer

  • Small cell- ACTH, ADH

  • Squamous cell- PTHrp

• Thyroid

  • Medullary Thyroid cancer

  • Parathyroid adenoma

• Adrenal

  • Phaeochromocytoma - catecholamine 

  • Conn's Syndrome - aldosterone 

• Pancreatic

  • Functioning

    • VIPoma's

    • Glucagonoma- glucagon

    • Insulinoma- insulin

    • Somatostatinoma- somatostatin

• Gastrointestinal 

  • Gastrinoma (Zolling Ellison Syndrome, ZES)

• Mercel cell carcinoma (skin)

• Non functioning neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)

VIPoma

• Presentation: profuse watery diarrhoea

References

1. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/neuroendocrine-tumours-nets?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAzvC9BhADEiwAEhtlN_LVEZlwExJ-tBXA1R6_5ZaN-f723hgsL4RnMtRTtGiR5Kjnc2h80hoCjeoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Page written in 2025.