A Physicians Learning Experience about NETs

Editor Note:  Marc Usrey, M.D. of East Texas Medical Center was one of the doctors sponsored by the Healing NET Foundation at the recent NANETS conference for physicians in Nashville.  A key part of our mission is to properly educate doctors in multiple areas about neuroendocrine disease.  Dr. Usrey shares his experience at the conference in this week's ZEBRA blog.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the 2014 Neuroendocrine Tumor Symposium in Nashville this past October.    My favorite sessions were the "Complicated Case Presentations," where we had to pleasure of listening to world renowned experts in the field of Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine tumors discuss (and often hotly debate), the best course of action and treatment of incredibly difficult clinical scenarios.  It was also exciting to hear about new treatment options that may be available to our patients in the near future, and the hope that they may bring to our patients.  I do see a brighter future for patients and doctors who face this disease together, whether it be better imaging and staging with Gallium Pet Scans, better symptom management with drugs like Teoltristat, new targeted agents with better tolerability, and thoughtful and provocative clinical trials.  It is reassuring that there are incredibly bright researchers physicians across the country (and world) asking questions and dedicating their careers to treating these cancers.  Overall, I left this conference much more confident in my ability to diagnosis, treat, and care for patients who suffer from this disease.   --Marc E. Usrey, M.D. Hemotology