CARCINOID APUDOMA

CARCINOID APUDOMA

Carcinoid apudoma is an illness that manifests in different ways, including physical symptoms and unusual laboratory findings. It usually affects people who have an underlying carcinoid tumor that has spread throughout their liver or lungs. These tumors are neuroendocrine tumors that secrete serotonin and various active peptides that affect other organs’ functions. Furthermore, these tumors can develop anywhere throughout the gut or body. Hence, they can be discovered in the gastrointestinal system and bronchial tree, or airways.

The tumor cells have the ability to expand to the liver and other regions of the body, including the small intestine and appendix, which are the most common sites for carcinoid tumors. At the same time, the lung accounts for 10% of all cases. The rectum, colon, stomach, pancreas, kidney, ovary, prostate, thymus, breast, and other organs are also affected. Moreover, these slow-growing tumors usually spread to the lymph, liver, and nodes, but they can also spread to the bone, lung, brain, and skin.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of carcinoid apudoma may include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Flushing or redness of the skin, from the upper part of the thorax to the head
  • Abdominal pain
  • Carcinoid heart disease
  • Bronchoconstriction
  • Sneezing 
  • Shortness of breath

DIAGNOSIS

For diagnosis, it is best to use multiple approaches, such as radiological imaging, biochemical examination, blood test examinations, and biopsy confirmation if the symptoms are not apparent. 

Depending on the location of the carcinoid tumor, additional examinations are conducted, including ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, and endoscopy. In some cases, during surgery, the underlying disease is not carcinoid apudoma but appendicitis or intestinal obstruction.

TREATMENT

The treatment for this disease varies, depending on its severity and symptoms. Furthermore, symptoms may include:

  • Telotristat ethyl or Xermelo
  • Octreotide, which decreases the breakdown product of serotonin (5-HIAA)
  • Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with yttrium-90, lutetium-177 or indium-111
  • Cyproheptadine with antiserotonergic effects
  • Methysergide maleate anti serotonin agent

Alternative treatments

  • Chemotherapy
  • Resection of the tumor
  • Lobectomy for bronchial lesions
  • Pneumonectomy
  • Chemoembolization or targeted chemotherapy

The development of this illness is hard to locate since it can spread in any part of the body and can be too tiny to detect using present technologies. Indicators, such as chromogranin-A and other illness markers, are unreliable in identifying the exact progression of the tumors.

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