NANETS consensus guidelines for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumor

To conclude, this algorithm proposes a summary of the steps for the diagnosis of NETs starting at the presentation of a suggestive clinical scenario.102 Neuroendocrine tumors are small, slow-growing neoplasms, usually with episodic expression that makes diagnosis difficult, erroneous, and often late; for these reasons, a high index of suspicion is needed, and it is important to understand the pathophysiology of each tumor to decidewhich biochemical markers are more useful and when they should be used. It is the purpose of this guideline to show the importance of recognizing, as early as possible, the clinical syndromes that suggest a NET as one of the differential diagnoses, and once suspected, look for the appropriate biochemical markers and radiological or other means that will confirm the diagnosis or confidently discard it. Ultimately, all 3 modalities are important to create a platform for monitoring response to therapy, determining prognosis, and choosing the right therapeutic intervention.