Gatecrashed!

 

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET’s) can be found anywhere in the body, however, common occurrences of the tumor include the lungs, pancreas, intestines and rectum.

Types of NETs

It is easy to classify kinds of neuroendocrine tumors on the basis of where they are located and also how they look like. The most common description is on the basis of the impact they have on the body. Functional NETs cause hormonal disturbances in the body whereas nonfunctional NETs do not cause any or enough hormonal changes to show any symptoms. This is why NETs have a higher chance of going unnoticed until very late. Many times, neuroendocrine cancers are discovered by mistake.

Irrfan Khan died of a neuroendocrine tumour (NET) — the 'forgotten cancer' — earlier on  April 29 2020

The cancer is rare and often misdiagnosed as other common ailments like IBS, asthma or anxiety.

According to the Neuroendocrine Tumour Research Foundation, NET is becoming more common but more than half the patients suffer from late diagnosis.

A neuroendocrine tumour (NET), simply put, is an umbrella term for a class of rare cancers. Not only is it difficult to diagnose, but it's also slow-growing and complex.

Neuroendocrine cells are found all over the body — especially in the small bowel, pancreas, stomach, the adrenal gland, lungs and thyroid. As and when these cells receive signals from the nervous system, they release the corresponding hormones.

Symptoms of NET often mimic other common ailments — like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), asthma, flushing or redding of the skin, and unexplained anxiety.

Because of this patients are often misdiagnosed and NET has been labelled the 'forgotten cancer'.

A neuroendocrine tumour is a tumour that forms within those cells. What makes them complex is that their behaviour is difficult to predict.

More and more people are being diagnosed with NET — just not soon enough

NET isn't understood very well and it can often be anywhere between five to seven years before a conclusive diagnosis is revealed.

More than half the people suffer from late detection of the condition, according to the Neuroendocrine Tumour Research Foundation ( NETRF). By that time, NET has normally spread to other organs in the body.

NETRF data also shows that every 7 in 100,000 people are afflicted and that number is on the rise. To raise awareness, the International Neuroendocrine Cancer Alliance (INCA) created the World NET Cancer Day, which occurs on November 10 every year.

Even so, it's not something that the common person will be familiar with until they're actually diagnosed. The tumours can occur almost anywhere in the body and don't differentiate between gender and age.

If you have a nonfunctional tumor you might experience pain in the specific area and might feel a lump beneath your skin. You may also experience nausea and vomiting

Facing metastatic neuroendocrine cancer myself I say

I've climbed the highest mountains

I've swum the deepest rivers

You can try them all and find

You are on top of the world

Looking down on creation

Can tell the big difference

Which the world doesn't 

See or admire in you.

"My body's been gatecrashed by some unwelcome guests and I'm continuing to negotiate with them. Let's see where that conversation takes us," he said.