Neuroendocrine Unit

To make an appointment or obtain further information, please call 757-446-5067.

Unique expertise

The Neuroendocrine Unit at the Strelitz Diabetes Center, directed by Dr. Aaron Vinik, is a worldwide referral center for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETS) and one of the few centers offering unique expertise for evaluating these tumors and specialized care for NETS patients.

The Neuroendocrine Unit is also the coordinating center for many new therapeutic trials, providing sophisticated diagnostics and partnerships with superb laboratory support.

It is crucial to educate physicians, health-care providers and patients about the complexity of NETS and their often-devastating effects on patients’ health, and to provide therapy options that will improve patients’ quality of life.

Facts about Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETS)

• These tumors are relatively rare, small, and slow-growing.
• More than 50,000 people live with this disease in the United States, with 2,500 new cases diagnosed each year.
• Many cases are not discovered until late in the course of the disease.
• The tumors derive from adult stem cells that are capable of producing a large variety of hormones.
• They cause a variety of clinical conditions such as flushing, diarrhea, diabetes, heart disease, skin rashes, peptic ulcer disease and hypoglycemia.

A complete discussion of these tumors can be found at www.endotext.org, a website that is free to the public and health-care providers.