Carcinoid Cancer Awareness Network

  WHAT IS CARCINOID CANCER? Carcinoid is part of a group of tumors called neuroendocrine tumors that grow in the hormone producing cells, is listed with the National Organization of Rare Disorders. Because neuroendocrine (NET) cancer is considered rare and due to a lack of public awareness the disease has had a low priority for medical research. Current studies suggest that Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine tumors are not as rare once thought. Over 11,000 new patients are diagnosed each year and as many as 125,000 patients are living in the US today- AND the number of diagnoses is increasing by more than 5% annually. Carcinoid/NETs are also regularly overlooked during the diagnostic process. Many patients go untreated for years and have been told the have another disease. However, due to the generosity and selfless effort of many people, progress IS being made! If the tumors are found early and you get proper treatment, you can live a long life. There are many 20 year survivors living in the USA. Failure to diagnose the disease and provide proper treatment, however, has the most serious consequence.

WHO IS CCAN? We are a Non profit 501 (c) (3) Charity Incorporated in 2004. Our mission is to intensify awareness of Neuroendocrine tumors and Carcinoid Cancer in both the medical community ,general public locally and around the world. CCAN has assisted patients and caregivers around the world by providing important informaion about the disease. This is done by phone, mailing, webinars CD ROMS and conferences we produced during the last 6 years. We have helped many support groups around the world. We provide funding to other organizations for research into Neuroendocrine tumors and Carcinoid Cancer.

   WHY IS THE ZEBRA OUR MASCOT? In medical school, doctors are taught "when hearing hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." Carcinoid Cancer & Neuroendocrine Tumors has been thought of as 'rare'and therefore may be considered a zebra.