How neuroendocrine cancer used to be described
Neuroendocrine cancer can develop in different organs and can be complex. Researchers continue to learn more about this type of cancer and work toward a more consistent way to describe it. Here are some of the changes in how neuroendocrine cancer has been described over the years.
NETs and NECs
In the past, neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) represented all neuroendocrine cancers. Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) was seen as a type of NET that was aggressive.
Now NETs and NECs are seen as different types of neuroendocrine cancer because of their differences in cancer cells. NETs and NECs are sometimes collectively called neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs).
All NETs as cancerous tumours
NETs used to be categorized into non-cancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) tumours based on their growth rates. A non-cancerous tumour does not spread to other parts of the body. A cancerous tumour can grow into nearby tissue and also spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Now all NETs are considered cancerous because even slow-growing NETs may spread over time.
Shifting away from “carcinoid tumours”
NETs used to be called carcinoid tumours because of their slow growth and normal-looking cells. Carcinoid means carcinoma-like, or cancer-like. But this does not accurately describe NETs because they are actually cancers. Carcinoid tumours are also often confused with carcinoid syndrome, which doesn’t always occur in all NETs. Because of these reasons, the term “carcinoid” is no longer used to describe these tumours except for certain types of lung NETs, where the name keeps being used for historical reasons.
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