In 2024, our mother was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer (NET) after many years of symptoms and countless doctor's appointments without anyone being able to explain what was wrong.

When she suddenly became seriously ill, scans revealed a large tumor that had already spread to her pancreas, intestines, spleen, and liver. On September 3, 2024, she underwent major surgery during which doctors removed a 7 × 9 cm tumor along with several organs.

After the operation, she began life-prolonging treatment with monthly Ipstyl injections, but unfortunately the treatment had no effect. She then started PRRT, a targeted therapy developed specifically for neuroendocrine tumors. While this treatment can slow the progression of the disease and give patients more time, it is not a cure.

Our mother is only 49 years old. She is just one of many people living with a type of cancer that few have ever heard of.

Neuroendocrine cancer (NET for slow-growing tumors and NEC for fast-growing tumors) is a rare and often overlooked form of cancer that can develop in many different organs, including the intestines, lungs, and pancreas. The affected cells are part of the body's hormone-producing system, and these tumors can grow silently for years without causing obvious symptoms, making early diagnosis extremely difficult.

When NET develops in the pancreas (pNET), the disease is particularly challenging. Symptoms such as abdominal pain, fatigue, and digestive problems are vague and easily mistaken for other conditions. As a result, many patients are not diagnosed until the cancer has already spread, making treatment far more difficult.

Although treatment options such as surgery, targeted therapies, and advanced radionuclide treatment (PRRT) are available, they remain limited, and research into new therapies is still in its early stages.

Because NET is a rare cancer, it receives far less research funding than more common types of cancer.

This is where you can make a difference.

Your donation goes directly toward research and support for patients and families living with this diagnosis every single day. Together, we can help improve early diagnosis, develop better treatments, and ultimately save more lives.

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference.

Thank you for supporting the fight against neuroendocrine cancer.