Neuroendocrine Tumors

At Winship, our specialized doctors and nurses work together with you to determine the best treatment options. We realize you want to start treatment as soon as possible. By scheduling one appointment at the clinic, you will have access to three specially trained oncologists and a nurse navigator who will help guide you and your family through treatment. The goal of this clinic is to provide you with complete care and answers to all of your questions.

Request an Appointment

If you have been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors, we are ready to help you. Call us at (404) 778-0032. Winship experts are available to provide a second opinion.

We understand that this is a very stressful time. We welcome your questions and requests for help. Learn what to expect on your first visit.

These types of tumors can be found throughout the body including the gastrointestinal tract, brain and lungs. Neuroendocrine tumors are also referred to as carcinoid or islet cell tumor.

The stage of your disease indicates how much it has spread. Early stage cancer is a disease limited to one organ. Late stage cancer indicates spread to other organs like to the liver, lung or to the bone. Determining the stage of your cancer will affect your treatment plan. Your Winship care team may use one or more tests and procedures to determine the stage of your cancer, including:

• Physical exam and blood work
• CT and/or PET scan
• MRI
• Octreotide scan: this method is used specifically for neuroendocrine tumors to see if the disease has spread to other parts of the body.
• Dotatate PET scan: this method is used to find, evaluate and diagnose neuroendocrine tumors. Our specialists have deep expertise in Dotatate PET scans.
• Biopsy: a sample of tissue will be removed and examined by a pathologist.

Specialty imaging uses powerful imaging modalities to provide for better diagnosis and treatment of various cancers. At Winship, our highly experienced radiologists offer advanced MR and CT for imaging neuroendocrine tumors. We are home to the only PET-MRI in Georgia which combines the power of MR and PET in one machine.

Ask your doctor if specialty imaging may benefit you.

Here are some of the treatment options:

Surgery: a physician will remove the tumor using the latest techniques including minimally invasive procedures when appropriate.

Liver directed therapies: are a group of minimally invasive procedures guided by imaging modalities and usually performed by interventional radiologists. These procedures include ablation and transcatheter therapies.

• Ablation means the destruction of the tumors by directly applying heat, cold or energy (microwave). Laser ablation is used to treat tiny neuroendocrine tumors in the liver early, resulting in improved outcomes for patients.
• Transcatheter therapies include injecting small particles of radioactive material directly into the blood vessels that supply the tumor. Liver directed therapies may be used to shrink tumors in preparation for surgery. Y90 microsphere therapy treats more widespread neuroendocrine tumors in the liver.

Nuclear medicine uses radiotracers or radioactive drug therapies to diagnose, evaluate, and treat various diseases including neuroendocrine tumors. We have pioneered the use of radioactive drug therapies in Georgia, such as Luthatera. Our team at Emory University Hospital Midtown performs the most Lutathera treatments in Georgia and is one of the top centers in the US.

Chemotherapy and targeted therapies: drugs are used to kill or slow the growth of the tumor. In addition to standard targeted therapies, participating in clinical trials may be an option in certain cases. Clinical trials provide patients access to new medications that are being developed to treat neuroendocrine cancer.

Clinical Trials

Consider talking with your doctor about participating in a clinical trial at Winship. Through these trials, you may have access to treatments for neuroednocrine tumors that are not widely available.

Supportive Oncology Care

In addition to delivering the highest quality medical care, we recognize the importance of the psychological and emotional aspects of living with a cancer diagnosis and of dealing with treatment. Our supportive oncology team addresses these issues in a timely manner with additional support from counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals.