Carcinoid Tumours: The Slow-Growing Cancer You May Not Know You Have

A Cancer That Grows Slowly but Spreads Silently

Carcinoid tumours are a type of neuroendocrine tumour (NET) arising from hormone-producing cells, most commonly in the gut (small intestine, appendix, rectum) and lungs. They grow slowly, often causing no symptoms for years, and many are discovered incidentally during imaging or surgery for another reason.

Carcinoid Syndrome

When gut carcinoid tumours spread to the liver, they produce hormones (especially serotonin) that enter systemic circulation, causing carcinoid syndrome: flushing of the face and neck, chronic diarrhoea, wheezing and breathlessness, and carcinoid heart disease (valvular damage from serotonin excess).

Diagnosis

Key diagnostic markers: 24-hour urine 5-HIAA (serotonin metabolite), serum chromogranin A, and CT/MRI imaging. In Nigeria, these tests require referral to a tertiary centre with oncology services.

The Gut Health Connection

Emerging research links gut dysbiosis and chronic gut inflammation to neuroendocrine tumour development. The same inflammatory environment that drives colon cancer risk applies to gut NETs. FXMed's Gut Repair Programme addresses the chronic gut inflammation, microbiome disruption, and dietary patterns associated with gastrointestinal cancer risk.