Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Hope, Awareness, and Care - Voice of Pancreatic Cancer Podcast

This podcast episode is part of the Voice of Pancreatic Cancer Podcast, hosted by Miranda Wainberg from the Seena Magowitz Foundation and Dr. Susan Tsai from the Medical College of Wisconsin. The podcast is dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and cure of pancreatic cancer, this episode is particularly focusing on neuroendocrine tumors. The guest in this episode is Alexandria T. Phan, MD, FACP, Professor. Dr. Phan received her medical doctorate from the University of California at Irvine, trained in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and completed her Hematology-Oncology fellowship training at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Clinical practice, clinical research, and education are three pillars important to Dr. Phan’s approach to cancer care. Her areas of focus for clinical research and patient care are neuroendocrine tumors and malignancies of the gastrointestinal system. She has held several leadership positions including cancer center director, founding program director for Hematology-Oncology fellowship, medical director of clinical research, and national director for GI cancer program. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and medical textbooks on the topics relating to her specialization. Dr. Phan has a wealth of experience in healthcare systems, after having worked at various academic institutions and large healthcare systems, including Houston Methodist Hospital System, City of Hope-Cancer Treatment Centers of America, NCI-designated University of New Mexico Center, and NCI-designated University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Phan explains the differences between neuroendocrine tumors and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, emphasizing that neuroendocrine tumors are slower-growing and have a more favorable prognosis. She also highlights the importance of differentiating these two types of pancreatic cancer and educating patients about their condition. The discussion further delves into the diagnostic process for a new patient with a neuroendocrine tumor. Dr. Phan emphasizes the need for a comprehensive assessment, including clinical evaluation, hormonal marker tests, and advanced imaging like CT, MRI, and PET-DOTA scans, to accurately stage the disease and determine the best-personalized treatment plan. Throughout the episode, Dr. Phan emphasizes the importance of seeking care from specialists with expertise in neuroendocrine tumors, given the increasing incidence and prevalence of this type of cancer, as well as the need for long-term management and consideration of novel treatment options.