Our specialist service diagnoses and treats people with neuroendocrine tumours.
Neuroendocrine tumours are a rare form of cancer that affect the cells that release hormones into the bloodstream. They can develop in several different organs in the body but are usually found in the pancreas, digestion system and lungs.
Although based in Southampton, we also run outpatient clinics in:
Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Poole General Hospital
Dorset County Hospital
Common symptoms of neuroendocrine tumours include:
flushed skin
diarrhoea
tummy pain or swelling
intestinal blockage
wheezing and breathlessness
Some tumours may lead to abnormally large amounts of hormones being released into the bloodstream. The collective name for symptoms caused by this is carcinoid syndrome.
If we suspect you may have a neuroendocrine tumour, we will undertake investigations to confirm a diagnosis or help us gather information in order to treat the tumour.
Your treatment plan will depend on your overall health as well as how advanced the tumour is. Our team will review your results and will talk to you about how we can treat and manage the tumour.
As a specialist centre, we're dedicated to providing the very best care for our patients and advancing how we treat and manage neuroendocrine tumours.
Patients undergoing surgery may have tissue taken for our tissue bank. We hope that, by examining and comparing tissue samples, we'll be able to better diagnose and treat tumours.
You are also invited to participate in national and international clinical trials to help the development of new treatments.
Being diagnosed with cancer can be a very difficult and stressful time for you and your family. Your doctor or the specialist nurses will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
You can find more information about neuroendocrine tumours on the NHS website: