Red spots on the skin, caused by abnormally dilated capillary vessels.

An organ near the base of the neck that produces infection-fighting cells.

A small gland in the neck, just under the skin below the Adam’s apple. It produces thyroid hormones, which help control metabolism.

A procedure in which the blood supply to a tumor is blocked (embolised) and chemotherapy is administered directly into the tumor. TACE is used to treat liver cancer, and is also called chemoembolisation or hepatic artery embolisation (HAE).

An oral therapy that works by limiting the production of serotonin and helps people with Carcinoid Syndrome experience fewer episodes of diarrhea each day.

An abnormal growth or mass in the body caused when cells grow out of control or don’t die when they are supposed to.

The number of cancer cells, size of a tumor, or the amount of cancer in a person’s body.

A round sore where the lining of the stomach or duodenum has been eaten away by stomach acid and digestive juices.

A procedure that uses high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) to look at tissues and organs inside the body. Ultrasound scans are one of the main imaging techniques used for diagnosing and monitoring NETs. Ultrasound is also known as sonography.

(Also known as stem cells) – These cells are present in babies still in the womb. They can turn into any kind of cell. The DNA in the cell determines the kind of cells they will become. The cells then grow and change shape, becoming specialized cells with specific jobs in the body.

A substance released by the pancreas that causes watery diarrhea. Levels of vaso-intestinal peptide can be measured in the blood to detect and monitor NETs.

VIP stands for vasoactive intestinal peptide. A VIPoma is a tumor affecting tissue of the endocrine system, usually the pancreas.

A genetic condition that causes blood vessels to grow abnormally. People with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL) have a high risk of developing NETs.

A whistling sound made during breathing that happens when airways become partially blocked. Some tumors can squeeze an airway and cause the blocking.

A type of radiation therapy that uses high-energy radiation from X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

A substance that emits radiation (radionuclide) and is one of most commonly used radionuclides for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in treating NETs.

In medicine, the term “zebra” is used in reference to a rare disease or condition, like Neuroendocrine (NET) Cancers.In medical school, students are told, “When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras.” Sometimes physicians need to look for a zebra.