Treatment Options for Carcinoid Syndrome
Your doctor will discuss the best treatment for you and help you to set up an easy-to-follow treatment plan. It's important that you speak to your doctor about starting treatment at the first sign of symptoms.
In treating carcinoid syndrome, there are 2 main types of treatment:
- Targeted treatments act at the site of the tumor, and treat the underlying causes of carcinoid syndrome symptoms. Examples include surgery, chemotherapy, and somatostatin analogue therapy.
- Peripheral treatments act at the sites where symptoms occur, such as the digestive tract or the lungs. Examples include serotonin receptor blockers, antidiarrheal agents, bronchodilators, and diuretics.
| Targeted Therapies | |
|---|---|
| Chemoembolization | Injection of a chemotherapeutic drug with a blocking agent into the main blood vessel of the liver to treat tumors that have spread to the liver and control symptoms |
| Interferon | Therapy that works at the site of tumors to control diarrhea and flushing by regulating the immune system |
| Somatostatin analogue | A drug that works at the site of the tumor to control hypersecretion. Sandostatin LAR® Depot is a somatostatin analogue. |
| Peripheral Therapies | |
| Antidiarrheal agents | Over-the-counter medicines that work to control diarrhea |
| Diuretics | Agents that help the body get rid of excess fluid |
| Selective bronchodilators | Drugs used to control wheezing by dilating the airways |
| Serotonin receptor blockers | Drugs that work to block the effects of increased peptides |
The Importance of Targeted Therapy
A great deal of discomfort can be avoided if carcinoid syndrome is detected early and treated with a targeted therapy that works to control hypersecretion at the site of the tumor where hormone overproduction starts. The flow chart below indicates the complications that can develop when a carcinoid tumor is left untreated:
CARCINOID TUMOR METASTASIZES TO THE LIVER
TUMOR GIVES OFF HARMFUL BIOACTIVE SECRETIONS
CARCINOID SYNDROME DEVELOPS
DEBILITATING SYMPTOMS AND LIFE THREATENING HEALTH RISKS DEVELOP
