How to Pronounce Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Pancreas

Say it like this: nyoo-roh-EN-doh-krin TOO-mer of the PAN-kree-as. The stress falls on the EN syllable in 'endocrine' and the TOO syllable in 'tumor,' so those are the parts you say a bit louder and longer. The word pancreas rhymes with 'can-cree-us.'

'Neuro' comes from the Greek word for nerve. In medical words, it usually refers to the nervous system or nerve-related structures. In this case, it's paired with 'endocrine' to describe cells that work with both the nervous and hormone systems.

'Endocrine' comes from Greek words meaning 'inside' (endo) and 'to separate or secrete' (crine). It describes glands and cells that make and release hormones directly into the bloodstream. When you see 'endocrine,' think 'hormone-producing.'

Break it like this: neu-ro-EN-do-crine TU-mor. That's 6 syllables for the first part and 2 for the second. Saying it in chunks makes it much easier than trying to say the whole thing at once.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say 'NOO-ro-EN-do-krine' or 'neu-ro-en-DOH-krine.' The correct stress is on EN in 'endocrine' (neu-roh-EN-doh-krine), not on the first syllable or the last part.

A neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas is an abnormal growth that starts in special cells of the pancreas that make hormones. These cells have features of both nerve cells and hormone-producing cells, which is why 'neuro' and 'endocrine' are both in the name.

It's often shortened to 'pancreatic NET' (NET stands for neuroendocrine tumor). You might also hear doctors say 'islet cell tumor' because these tumors grow from the hormone-producing islet cells of the pancreas.

Other words with 'endocrine' include endocrinology (the study of hormones and glands), endocrinologist (a doctor who specializes in hormones), and endocrine system (all the hormone-producing glands in your body). They all relate to how hormones are made and released.

Here's an example: 'The radiologist identified a neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas on the scan.' This sentence shows how a doctor might refer to this type of growth in a medical report.