Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Patients with low grade GI tract (GEP) neuroendocrine tumours and low grade neuroendocrine tumours of unknown primary (LG NETs) often live for many years even in the context of advanced disease. Their nutritional status is important to maintain wellbeing. Both the tumour and its treatment can potentially affect nutritional status.

Method: Patients attending routine follow up appointments with the NET team in Edinburgh were invited to participate in the project. A range of nutritional parameters were checked then compared against clinical status.

Results: We will present the results for the 1st 40 patients. Nearly half of patients were identified as requiring additional management to support their nutritional status. The most common issues identified were Vitamin D deficiency, bile acid malabsorption and glucose intolerance/ diabetes.

Recommendations: Nutritional screening of NET patients is an important part of their ongoing management. We recommend:

• Patients on somatostatin analogue therapy have Vitamin D levels checked annually.

• Patients with a previous small bowel resection or R hemicolectomy be checked for bile acid malabsorption.

• Patients with a pancreatic primary tumour and patients receiving somatostatin analogue therapy have HbA1C assessed annually.