Neuroendocrine Tumor | Ochsner Health System

NOLANETs

New Orleans Louisiana Neuroendocrine Tumor Specialists

In medicine, the term “zebra” is used to describe a rare condition. To avoid misdiagnosing patients, medical students are taught to assume that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. They’re told, “When you hear the sound of hooves, think horses, not zebras.”

The problem is “zebras” do exist and getting a diagnosis and treatment plan is often difficult for those with rare diseases such as neuroendocrine tumors (NETS). When it comes to treating NETS, however, the team at NOLANETS has earned its stripes.

An affiliation between Louisiana State University Health Science Center and Ochsner Medical Center, NOLANets is one of the largest NETs programs in the country, a leader in the diagnosis and management of all forms of neuroendocrine tumors. Our team’s dedication has led to superior outcomes for patients with NETs in the United States and abroad.

Why NOLANets?

NOLANets has an expansive patient base from around the nation, including 2,500 new patients

They performed the first Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET/CT scan in the Gulf Coast region. This unique scan is pivotal to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with NETs because it is able to detect tumors not seen on MRI, PET scan, CT scan, or Octreoscan. NOLANETS now offers this scan as standard of care. They are one of only a few institutions to offer this scan in the United States

They developed innovative surgical techniques using state-of-the-art equipment, such as the NanoKnife^® and the NEOPROBE^® GDS (Gamma Detection System), a handheld Geiger counter

NOLANets patients benefit from weekly multi-disciplinary tumor boards, a collaborative approach to planning treatments and evaluating decisions

The group is actively involved in the development of novel therapeutic agents and performs gene analysis to identify the best treatment plan for each patient

NOLANets is expanding its clinical trial program, giving patients access to cutting-edge treatments

Team members hold 13 patents in the field of endocrine oncology, and have authored over 125 peer reviewed publications

This program has sponsored multiple regional and national NET patient conferences highlighting current treatments options for patients.

Meet The Team

The passion, energy and innovative thinking of the NOLANets team has benefitted thousands of patients all around the world.

The world-renown NOLANets team includes specialists in medical oncology, surgical oncology, nuclear medicine, radiology, gastroenterology and dietetics/nutritional support.

Team members include:

Mary Maluccio, MD, Medical Director

Eugene Woltering, MD, FACS, Surgical Oncology

J. Philip Boudreaux, MD, FACS, Hepatobiliary Surgery

Daniel Lee, MD, Interventional Radiology

Daniel Raines, MD, Gastroenterology

T. Ramcharan, MD, FACS, Hepatobiliary Surgery

Robert Ramirez, MD, FACP, Medical Oncology

Andrew Marsala, MD, Interventional Radiology

Patient Referrals

To refer a patient to NOLANets, call our Regional Referral Center at 855-312-4190.

Second Opinions

NETs are difficult to diagnose and the NOLANets team is frequently called upon for second opinions. They can work with your physician to diagnose and recommend a plan of treatment that can be implemented close to home.

Make an Appointment

To schedule an appointment, visit myochsner.org or call 504-464-8500 or 1-866-91-ZEBRA (1-866-919-3272).

What's a NET?

A neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is a rare hormone producing tumor that affects neuroendocrine cells that are present throughout the nervous and endocrine systems. Most of the time it is very slow growing and it is often difficult to diagnose. The patient may present with vague symptoms such as flushing, diarrhea, palpitations, cardiac disease or wheezing. Because of the difficulty in diagnosing these tumors, diagnosis is delayed on average of 10 years.

There are many types of neuroendocrine tumors. Carcinoid tumors can originate in the lungs, stomach, thymus, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon or rectum. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETS) present as gastrinomas, insulinomas, glucagonomas, VIPomas, and pancreatic polypeptidomas. Other less common NETs include pheochromocytomas, medullary carcinomas of the thyroid and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN-I or II).

NETs can originate anywhere in the body. Carcinoid tumors, however, are the most common detected and are usually found in the lungs or GI tract.

Advanced Care

With innovative technology and experience in complex, metastatic disease treatment options, NOLANets is changing the way people think about neuroendrocrine tumors. All treatment, testing and other services are offered on-site. Below are just some of the innovative treatments available at NOLANets.

Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT)

NOLANets is the only site in Louisiana and one of only 100 sites in the country with a dedicated infusion space to administer FDA-approved Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

PRRT is targeted radiation that halts tumor growth. For years, NOLANets has been administering this therapy via an Internal Review Board-approved clinical research trial, but it was approved by the FDA in July 2018 to dispense commercially. Before then, patients seeking this therapy had to travel abroad. NOLANets expanded infusion space has allowed PRRT to be administered to more patients who need it, while enhancing and increasing patient survival an additional three or four years while newer innovative therapies are developed.

Radioactive Microspheres with Y-90

To treat liver metastases, small beads called microspheres are attached to a radioactive element called yttrium-90 (or 90Y) and then injected into an artery close to the liver. The beads travel until they get stuck in small blood vessels near the tumor where they kill nearby tumor cells.

Ga-68 PET/CT Scan

At NOLANets, a combined PET (positron emission tomography) and computed tomography (CT) exam is used for the detection of tumors.

Lymphatic Mapping

Lymphatic mapping, also called lymph node mapping, uses dyes and radioactive substances to identify lymph nodes that may contain tumor cells.

Superior Outcomes

NOLANets has a very aggressive approach to the treatment of NET especially small bowel NETS.

The program has:

Best survival 5, 10 & 20 year survival reported in world's literature to date*
Consulted with over 2,400 new neuroendocrine tumor patients
Performed over 1,000 neuroendocrine tumor debulking surgeries
Performed over 100 MIBG therapies on neuroendocrine tumor patients
Performed over 350 liver directed therapies on neuroendocrine tumor patients

Patient Survival Statistics

Expert Multi-Specialty Care Makes a Difference in Your Survival Compared to the National Average

Survival of Stage IV, Well-Differentiated NETS

The NOLA Nets Program is an affiliation between LSU & Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner

SEER is the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute, who works to provide information on cancer statistics in an effort to reduce the burden of cancer among the U.S. population.

*"A single Institution's Experience with Surgical Cytoreduction of Stage IV, Well- Differentiated, Small Bowel Neuroendocrine Tumors"
Boudreaux et al. J Am Coll Surg 2014; 218:837-845.

Make a Gift

Please consider a gift to NOLANets today. Current funds include:

Ochsner NET Innovation Fund: Established to help support the purchase of novel equipment, the development of new radiotherapeutics and other new treatment options. Support educational programs that would help raise awareness and educate physicians and the general public about these rare tumors.

Zebra House Fund: Established to build and sustain an independently operated Zebra House to house patients with NETs and their family members

LSU Health Foundation Carcinoid/NET Research Fund: Established to maintain the NET Research Laboratory at LSUHS.