Treatment for a carcinoid tumor depends on the tumor’s location, whether cancer has spread to other areas of the body, the types of hormones the tumor secretes, your overall health and your own preferences.
Carcinoid tumor treatment options may include:
- Surgery. When detected early, a carcinoid tumor may be removed completely using surgery. If carcinoid tumors are advanced when discovered, complete removal may not be possible. In some situations, surgeons may try to remove as much of the tumor as possible, to help control signs and symptoms.
- Medications to control excess hormones. Using medications to block hormones secreted by the tumor may reduce the signs and symptoms of carcinoid syndrome and slow tumor growth.Octreotide (Sandostatin, Bynfezia Pen) and lanreotide (Somatuline Depot) are given as injections under the skin. Side effects from either medication may include abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. Telotristat (Xermelo) is a pill that is sometimes used in combination with octreotide or lanreotide to further try to improve the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome.
- Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses strong drugs to kill tumor cells. It can be given through a vein in your arm or taken as a pill. Chemotherapy is sometimes recommended for treating advanced carcinoid tumors that can’t be removed with surgery.
- Targeted drug therapy. Targeted drug treatments focus on specific abnormalities present within tumor cells. By blocking these abnormalities, targeted drug treatments can cause tumor cells to die. Targeted drug therapy is usually combined with chemotherapy for advanced carcinoid tumors.
- Chemoembolization. It’s a treatment used to treat a carcinoid tumor that has spread to the liver. Chemo drugs are delivered straight to the liver through a tube called a catheter that a doctor inserts into an artery. The drug stops blood flow to the tumor.
- Hormone therapy. It stops the tumor from making extra hormones. The drugs octreotide and lanreotide treat GI carcinoid tumors. You get them through a shot.
- Immunotherapy. It helps your body’s immune system fight the cancer better. You may get a drug such as alpha-interferon.
- Radioembolization. This is another treatment for liver cancer. Tiny radioactive beads are injected into your blood near your liver. They’ll get stuck in the vessels around the tumor and give off radiation for several days, which can kill cancer cells. This therapy may be an option for people with advanced carcinoid tumors.
What you can do
There are things you can do yourself to manage some of the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. Generally, you should avoid triggers of flushing, such as:
- alcohol
- large meals
- spicy foods
- foods containing the substance tyramine, such as aged cheese and salted or pickled meats
- stress
Some medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, may make symptoms worse by further increasing your levels of serotonin – but never stop taking medication without seeking medical advice.
If you have diarrhoea, it’s important to keep drinking little and often to avoid dehydration.