Endocrine Abstracts

Somatostatin analogues (SSAs) are regularly used in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) to control the symptoms of hormonal hypersecretion. Evidence shows that SSAs can reduce tumour progression, and are therefore also being used in patients with non-functioning tumours. As many NETs present with advanced disease curative therapy is often not possible; therefore, assessing the impact of therapy on quality of life (QoL) is vital to patient management. This is particu...

Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) leads to a reduction in cardiac output and an increase in the central venous pressure, resulting in secondary organ dysfunction. Surgery for severe TR is a high-risk procedure, particularly in the presence of uncontrolled carcinoid syndrome (CS) symptoms. Replacement of leaking tricuspid valves can lead to reduction in tumour markers and improvement in carcinoid symptoms. Transcatheter valve implantation into the vena cava may be an alternat...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract often cause carcinoid syndrome and in advance cases carcinoid heart disease. These tumours secrete serotonin, which can bind to heart valves and cause fibrosis and eventually valve incompetence. Most cases involve the tricuspid valve +/− pulmonary valve. Medical management comprises diuretics for fluid overload and somatostatin analogues to reduce circulating serotonin. Definitive treatment is heart-valve...

Introduction: Appendiceal NENs are usually diagnosed incidentally on histology following an appendicectomy. They include carcinoid tumours (appendiceal neuroendocrine tumours, NETs) and GCC. GCC neoplasms are able to transform to an adenocarcinoma phenotype. There are several important criteria to review when deciding on the treatment and follow up for appendiceal NENs, in particular when to offer further surgery to patients.Aim: To assess whether the ma...

Background: Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is a novel driver of tissue inflammation and fibrosis and may contribute to fibrotic complications of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). We studied the VAP-1 expression in midgut NETs, which are associated with desmoplasia, and carcinoid heart disease (CHD), a significant complication of metastatic midgut NETs.Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded midgut NETs and CHD valves were stained for...