DEAR DR. GOTT: Could you please tell me what a carcinoid tumor is and what causes them? I was recently diagnosed with some in my stomach.

DEAR READER: Carcinoid tumors are slow-growing tumors that commonly begin in the lungs or digestive tract. Because they are slow growing, they don’t produce symptoms in their early stages. They excrete hormone-like substances. In later stages, flushing of the face and upper chest, cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, wheezing, bowel obstruction, diarrhea and difficulty breathing may occur.

The primary treatment for this condition is surgery, which will be successful as long as the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. Treatment modalities for arresting tumor growth are experimental at this stage but show great promise. Chemotherapy is of little benefit and is not generally indicated.