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Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) are a group of uncommon cancers that arise in multiple organs, affecting the lives of millions of people living in Canada. Developments in treatments and surgery allow us to treat the tumour or stunt its growth, and the prognosis for some NET patients has been improving. Since discovery, NETs have been notoriously difficult to diagnose, and this is still the case today. In Canada, the delay in diagnosis of NETs can be as long as 5-20 years, undoubtedly delaying much needed treatment and leading to metastasis and poor patient outcomes. The aim of this capstone was to understand the factors that lead to a delayed diagnosis, and to make recommendations based on the findings to improve the diagnostic time. In partnership with the Canadian NeuroEndocrine Tumour Society (CNETS), a patient survey was designed and launched. The main factors that contribute to a delayed diagnosis were found to be a long time to suspicion and a history of psychiatric misdiagnosis. Additionally, the rich information provided by patients revealed unexpected findings about the nature of NET diagnosis, paving a path for future patient-oriented research.
Students:
Majd Ghadban
BSc (Hons)
Capstone Supervisor:
Prof. Joseph Ferenbok
Capstone Advisory Committee:
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Majd Ghadban
BSc (Hons)
Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) are a group of uncommon cancers that arise in multiple organs, affecting the lives of millions of people living in Canada. Developments in treatments and surgery allow us to treat the tumour or stunt its growth, and the prognosis for some NET patients has been improving. Since discovery, NETs have been notoriously difficult to diagnose, and this is still the case today. In Canada, the delay in diagnosis of NETs can be as long as 5-20 years, undoubtedly delaying much needed treatment and leading to metastasis and poor patient outcomes. The aim of this capstone was to understand the factors that lead to a delayed diagnosis, and to make recommendations based on the findings to improve the diagnostic time. In partnership with the Canadian NeuroEndocrine Tumour Society (CNETS), a patient survey was designed and launched. The main factors that contribute to a delayed diagnosis were found to be a long time to suspicion and a history of psychiatric misdiagnosis. Additionally, the rich information provided by patients revealed unexpected findings about the nature of NET diagnosis, paving a path for future patient-oriented research.
Capstone Supervisor:
Prof. Joseph Ferenbok