Disease Progression
What Is Disease Progression?
Disease progression means that the cancer has worsened either by the tumor growing or spreading within your body. A GEP-NET may not show symptoms, making tumor tracking challenging, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about how to best monitor your tumor.
Cancers May Spread in Different Ways
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Tissue: The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas. |
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Lymph system: The cancer spreads by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body. |
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Blood: The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body. |
Doctors typically treat GEP-NET with the following goals in mind:
- To remove the tumor with surgery
- To stop or slow the growth and spread of the tumor
- To relieve symptoms associated with too much hormone production
