Typical signs and symptoms

NETs are often very small and slow-growing. They can occur almost anywhere in the body, and depending on where they are, they can produce a wide variety of symptoms or, in some cases, no signs or symptoms at all.

Symptoms can sometimes be vague (like fatigue) or even mirror other conditions. For example, NETs occurring in the digestive tract may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or weight loss – all of which are seen in a variety of other digestive disorders. This can make NET very challenging to diagnose.

Some NETs release hormones. These are called “functional NETs”. The symptoms of functional NETs depend on the specific hormones that are overproduced. If a NET does not make extra hormones, it is called “non-functional”. This does not mean that the NET is without symptoms. Sometimes the size and location of the NET can cause symptoms even if it is not functional.

The symptoms above only represent some of the most common complaints. Just like every person is different, every patient with NET has a different experience.