Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are tumors that arise from endocrine (hormonal) and neuronal cells and usually occur in the intestine (called carcinoid tumors). They are also found in the lungs, pancreas and other parts of the body. Many are benign, while others are vicious. Although there are many kinds of NETs, these tumors are considered as a group of tissues because of their similar characteristics, such as the specific secretory granules, and the frequent production of biogenic amines and polypeptide hormones. Creative Biolabs provides a number of IVD antibody development services for neuroendocrine tumor diagnosis.
Fig.1 Polypectomy from a 78-year-old man who presented with weight loss. Distributed under CC BY-2.0, from Wiki, without modification.
Types & Conditions
Neuroendocrine tumors can be divided into three major categories according to the tumor grade:
- Well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. Further subdivided into benign and tumor with uncertain behavior.
- Well-differentiated (low-grade) neuroendocrine tumors with low-grade malignancy behavior.
- Poorly differentiated (high-grade) neuroendocrine tumors, which are small cell carcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine.
- Goblet cell tumors, a rare gastrointestinal tract tumor.
Neuroendocrine tumors can also be classified by their anatomic site of origin. NETs occur in different parts of the body, mostly in the lung, pancreas or intestine. Various cells that produce NETs are found in endocrine glands that spread throughout the body. Most commonly Kulchitsky cells or similar enterochromaffin-like cells are relatively more common in the pulmonary systems and gastrointestinal. NETs include certain thymus and lung tumors, certain gastrointestinal tumors and islet cells, and medullary carcinoma of thyroid follicles. Tumors with similar features in the parathyroid, pituitary, and adrenomedullary glands are sometimes included.
Symptoms
- Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) - there are two main types of NET: arise from the gastrointestinal (GI) system and the pancreas.
- Carcinoid tumors - A slow-growing neuroendocrine tumor originates from neuroendocrine system cells. The median age at diagnosis for all patients with neuroendocrine tumors is about the age of 63. Compared to most malignancies, they grow very slowly. Carcinoid tumors may sometimes metastasize. Carcinoid tumors of the midgut (appendix, ileum, cecum, and jejunum) are associated with carcinoid syndrome. Carcinoid tumor is the most common malignancy of the appendix, but the most common form of carcinoid is associated with the small intestine, also seen in the rectum and stomach. They are known to grow in the liver, but this is usually a manifestation of metastatic disease from the primary carcinoid tumors that occur elsewhere in the body.
- Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs, PETs, or PNETs) - a group of neuroendocrine tumors, represents about one third of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs), many of which are benign, while others are malignant. Pannet tumors are traditionally called islet cell carcinomas. Only 1-2% of clinically significant pancreatic tumors are PanNETs. PanNETs are quite different from the common forms of pancreatic cancer, which is mostly pancreatic exocrine adenocarcinoma.
- Others - There are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from elsewhere in the body, including thymus, lungs and parathyroid glands. Bronchial carcinoids can cause cough, hemoptysis, airway obstruction, pleurisy, pneumonia, dyspnea, nausea, weight loss, night sweats, weakness, neuralgia, and Cushing's syndrome.
The discovery of disease-specific biomarkers and the generation of high-quality antibodies are of great importance for the development of IVD immunoassays and kits. To assist customers in their IVD project development, Creative Biolabs offers a suite of IVD antibody development services against potential diagnostic biomarkers for neuroendocrine tumor. We also offer IVD antibodies development services for many other diseases. If you are interested in our service, please feel free to contact us for more information and a detailed quote.
Our services target the following biomarkers for neuroendocrine tumor diagnosis:
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