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I have Carcinoid Heart Disease—Can I Still Be Considered for RLT?
If you have Carcinoid Syndrome, your medical team may check for any evidence of Carcinoid Heart Disease (CHD) through a physical examination, blood serotonin levels, a urine 5-HIAA test, a blood test for NT-ProBNP, and/or an echocardiogram. If you are known to have Carcinoid Heart Disease, the severity and its effects on you will need to be assessed to ensure that Radioligand Therapy (RLT) is safe for you. NT-ProBNP is a substance released from the walls of the heart when they are stretched from working harder than normal. This can sometimes be a natural consequence of aging; other times, it may indicate that something is affecting the heart's ability to function normally, such as CHD, which impacts the heart valves. Please Note: Other factors, including being over 70 years old and having an eGFR of less than 60 ml/min, can increase NT-ProBNP levels. Certain medications can also lower it. An echocardiogram, commonly referred to as an "echo," is an ultrasound scan of the heart that examines its structures, including the walls and valves. It also assesses how blood flows through the main arteries and veins of the heart and evaluates the function of your heart valves. Having CHD will not prevent you from undergoing RLT; however, your medical team needs to understand the severity of your condition to determine whether further intervention is required before RLT. Additionally, they will prepare appropriate fluid administration during treatment to prevent fluid overload.
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