Pennsylvania Carcinoid Cancer Advocacy Network

You must suspect it to detect it!

PCCAN

WHO WE ARE

The Pennsylvania Carcinoid Cancer Advocacy Network (PCCAN) is a forum for people affected by Carcinoid Cancer and related Neuroendocrine Cancers, to learn from the experiences of others and to share their own.  With a focus on education, we seek to promote awareness of the need for early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and better monitoring of Carcinoid Cancer. 

 

THE HISTORY OF PCCAN

Seven people gathered at the first Central Pennsylvania Carcinoid Support Group held November 1,  2003.  It was the first opportunity for most participants to meet others with the same diagnosis and it was moving to hear the personal stories, successes, frustrations, and hopes of living with Carcinoid Cancer from those who truly understood.  A unifying theme was revealed through the sharing of personal stories, which often included tales of misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, incorrect treatment, no recommended treatment, and no monitoring of the disease.   A desire to impact this situation was another theme that continues in our patient-directed group.  While the group has changed and continues to develop, our purpose remains the same and the

Pennsylvania Carcinoid Cancer Advocacy Network

717.576.5095

CarcinoidSupport@juno.com

www.PCCAN.net

To contact us:

PCCAN THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGES

 

 

THE SPONSORS OF THIS WEBSITE 

THE GARAM GROUP, LLC

Syracuse, NY

 

OUR ADVISORS

THE CARCINOID CANCER FOUNDATION

New York, NY

 

 HAROLD A. HARVEY, MD

HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER

Hershey, PA

 

ARTIST JOANNA BARNUM 

       FOR DONATING ORIGNAL ARTWORK, ZEBRA

sentiment expressed by John as we left our first meeting still rings true:

“You know what this means don’t you?  You are not alone.” 

Indeed, if you or a loved one has Carcinoid Cancer,  you are not alone!

                
In medical school, students are taught “when you hear hoof beats think horses,” meaning when presented with a symptom a physician should consider the most common causes associated with those symptoms. 

This adage works well when the disease is a common condition.  But for people with uncommon ailments such as Carcinoid Cancer, this often results in years of misdiagnosis due to symptoms that frequently mimic more common diseases. 

The medical community must remember to think beyond horses when they hear hoof beats because the approaching animal could be the less common zebra. This is why the message of the Carcinoid Cancer community is REMEMBER THE ZEBRA.

REMEMBER THE ZEBRA