Dr. Metz on Increasing Incidence of Neuroendocrine Tumors

David C. Metz, MD, gastroenterologist, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, associate chief, Medical Affairs, Division of Gastroenterology, discusses the increasing incidence of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

Metz says the incidence of NETs have been on the rise over the last few decades. Practitioners have also been diagnosing patients with this condition when NETs are smaller and not symptomatic. NETs are typically small, slow-growing, and progressive tumors, Metz explains.

Though many NETs have the potential to become malignant, metastasize, and cause serious symptoms, practitioners do not fully understand the natural biology of these tumors. If treated too aggressively in early-stage disease, Metz says, there could be less benefit to patients. The main challenges with NETs are properly diagnosing them and managing them with therapies that are associated with minimal toxicities.

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