Most carcinoid tumors have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Abdominal pain that comes and goes
• Bright red flushing of the face, neck, or upper chest
• Diarrhea
• Heart palpitations
• Low blood pressure
• Wheezing

Sometimes symptoms are brought on by physical exertion, or eating or drinking things such as blue cheeses, chocolate, or red wine.

Most of these tumors are found when tests or procedures are done for other reasons, such as during abdominal surgery.

A physical examination may show:

• Heart valve lesions
• Signs of niacin-deficiency disease (pellagra)

Tests may include:

• 5-HIAA levels in urine
• Blood tests (including serotonin blood test)
• CT and MRI scan of the chest or abdomen
• Octreotide radiolabelled scan

Images

Serotonin uptake

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Carcinoid syndrome Overview

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Carcinoid syndrome Treatment

Review Date: 09/26/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)