NET is sometimes called carcinoid syndrome. Tumors are typically found in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs, but they can also be found in other organs of the endocrine system.
Symptoms include chronic diarrhea, flushing, shortness of breath, and symptoms of other chronic diseases like Crohn’s or IBS. It can take four to six years to accurately diagnose.
NET is a slow-growing cancer. If caught early enough, it can be managed like a chronic disease.
There are injectable hormone inhibitors to help manage carcinoid syndrome. They may slow the growth of the tumor.
Another treatment involves radioactive beads being injected into the liver to help manage the disease. New techniques are being developed to help people live with NET.
Since NET can cause digestive difficulty, diet is key to comfort. The Mediterranean diet is advised. Eating a plant-based diet can help. Organic food can reduce the distress that may be caused by pesticides. It’s important to pay attention to how your body reacts to food and refine your diet based on the reactions.
Listen in as Cindy Lovelace, Executive Director of Healing NET Foundation, shares her personal experience with NET and discusses how to manage it.
