Carcinoid syndrome
People who have carcinoid syndrome have a cancerous tumor which is referred to as a carcinoid and it secretes chemicals directly into the bloodstream which can cause a wide range of symptoms. Usually these tumors are found most commonly in the lungs or the gastrointestinal tract. One of the reasons why these tumors can be so deadly is because of the fact that they are not usually detected until they are in the late stages. Early on carcinoids are fairly difficult to detect on routine exams or by way of symptoms since they do not start to appear until later on when they begin to develop more. Many people have discovered that they have this type of cancer through some test or examination for a completely unrelated condition. A majority of the time the treatment for this syndrome involves treating the cancer itself directly. Because this condition is usually not detected until later on, a cure may be out of the question.
Sometimes with patients who have advanced carcinoid syndrome, all they can do is make their patients comfortable with certain medications until the cancer becomes too much for their body to handle. There are certain signs and symptoms of this syndrome which are important to be able to recognize early on, because they are more common than you might think. Each year thousands of people die from them and if you are able to detect it early on there is a good chance that you will have a viable treatment that can work for you and cure the cancer altogether. The chemicals which are secreted by the carcinoid into the bloodstream which cause cancer may begin when someone consumes a great amount of alcohol over time or exercises often.
Flushing of the skin is just one of the signs that someone could have a carcinoid in their body. With a lot of people who have this syndrome, their face as well as the upper chest area usually starts to feel warm and can change color as well. The color of the face and chest can range from a light pink shade to a darker purple color. Sometimes people experience episodes of flushing which can last anywhere from just thirty seconds to thirty minutes depending on the person and how advanced their carcinoid is. The flushing usually seems to happen for no reason at all and it can sometimes be triggered by eating certain foods or ingesting alcohol into the body. There are also the facial skin lesions to consider which are yet another sign that a person might have one of these carcinoids in their body. They usually form as purplish areas which are accompanied by spider veins on the upper lips or nose. Usually these lesions only appear with people who have had the carcinoid for a while.
Another sign that you could have this syndrome is diarrhea. If you have frequent bowel movements and they are watery in consistency as well as painful abdominal cramps, there is a chance that you could have a carcinoid. Some people who have this condition also experience problems with their breathing. Although it may seem like you have asthma because of the shortness of breath and wheezing, it could be something more serious. A lot of the time these breathing problems appear at the same time that the skin flushing does. If you find that your hart also beats rapidly for extended periods of time, this too could be a sign that you have a cardinoid and should seek medical treatment right away. It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms can be very broad and are likely the result of something less serious, but that may not be the case so it is a good idea to get a thorough examination from your doctor.
One of the reasons that so many people with this syndrome die is by the time the symptoms start to appear and surface, the cancer inside the body has already begun to metastasize and spread to other parts which makes it much more difficult to treat. Although with most of these cases the liver is responsible for breaking down the chemicals which are secreted by the carcinoid, sometimes this is not the case. The only people who are truly at risk for carinoid syndrome are those who actually have a carcinoid which is cancerous in nature and extremely dangerous unless it is treated. If you are exhibiting one or more of these symptoms, it would be a good idea to get checked out by a trained physician.
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