Endocrine Oncology

Endocrine Oncology:

Endocrine oncology encompasses the diagnosis, treatment, and management of tumors affecting endocrine glands, including thyroid cancer, adrenal tumors, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and other rare malignancies.

Type of Endocrine Oncology Disorders:

• Thyroid cancer: This malignancy arises from the thyroid gland and can manifest as well-differentiated (papillary, follicular) or poorly differentiated (medullary, anaplastic) subtypes, requiring surgical resection, radioactive iodine therapy, and other treatments.
• Adrenal tumors: These can be benign (adenomas) or malignant (adrenocortical carcinoma) growths affecting the adrenal glands, often requiring surgical excision, chemotherapy, or other therapies.
• Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs): These rare tumors arise from neuroendocrine cells in the pancreas and can be functional (secreting hormones) or non-functional, requiring surgical resection, medical therapy, or other treatments.

Effects:

• Endocrine tumors can produce hormones (functional tumors) or cause mass effects (non-functional tumors) affecting hormone secretion, metabolism, and other physiological processes.
• They can lead to symptoms such as palpable masses, abdominal pain, hormonal imbalances, endocrine dysfunction, and metastatic spread to distant organs.

Precautions:

• Comprehensive evaluation of tumor characteristics through imaging studies (ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET scans), biochemical testing (hormone levels, tumor markers), and histopathological analysis (biopsy) to determine tumor type, grade, and stage.
• Multidisciplinary care involving endocrinologists, surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and other specialists to develop individualized treatment plans based on tumor characteristics, patient preferences, and prognosis.
• Treatment modalities including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and supportive care to optimize outcomes, minimize complications, and improve quality of life.

Benefits:

• Early detection and treatment of endocrine tumors can improve prognosis, prolong survival, and preserve quality of life for affected individuals.
• Surgical resection of localized tumors can provide curative treatment and prevent local complications, hormonal sequelae, and metastatic spread.
• Adjuvant therapies such as radioactive iodine, chemotherapy, or targeted agents can improve outcomes for high-risk or metastatic tumors, reducing the risk of recurrence and extending survival.