COVID-19 Information and Resources

There are a number of very helpful resources below, which will give you up-to-date information about what you can do to protect yourself and the community from Coronavirus (COVID-19). There are some particular points, which are very relevant to those with NETs, which I’d like to highlight:

• Although many people with NETs may be more vulnerable to COVID-19, there is a large range of variation in terms of the types of tumours and treatments, it’s important to be guided, first and foremost, by information from your health care team.
• One of the things that is clear in the research to date is that smoking is a significant risk factor for people having poorer outcomes with COVID-19. This is actually the case for those who do not also have cancer, however the rate of complications for those with cancer who smoke is very concerning. If you can, consider reducing or stopping smoking. For more information and resources, see www.quit.org.au/
• We have received assurances about the stability of the supply chain for medicines that are used in the treatment of NETs. If people are on monthly somatostatin analogues (e.g. Sandostatin LAR or Lanreotide), and worried about leaving the home to attend clinics to have these injections, assistance may be available to have these administered at home. Speak to your specialist, or contact us via this link.
• It is important that if you’re feeling unwell with symptoms that could be COVID-19, not to arrive unannounced at your cancer centre or clinic. If in doubt, get in touch with them for more advice.
• It is recommended to have a concise summary of your illness and treatment available, in case you need to present to another health care provider. An ideal format for this is our NET Treatment and Wellness Plan.
• For those who are having difficulty getting to the shops, several of the larger supermarket chains are now allowing those who are more vulnerable to access home delivery services.
• Finally, and importantly, we know that having neuroendocrine tumours can be very stressful, regardless of other things. The impact of COVID-19, on top of this, may leave you, and those around you feeling very emotionally vulnerable. It is more important than ever to be gentle with yourself and others, and take the time to engage in all the things that you would normally do to keep yourself well, both physically and mentally. Exercise, eating well, connecting with others (even if this might mean learning a new computer skill) are vital at this time.

As Simone has said, we are here to support you, and this is not changing. We have many groups (which are now meeting online) – see our Support Groups page.

We are also providing more intensive support via our Facebook groups – you can find our main Private Discussion Group and our Private Carers Group at (once you click on “Join Group”, you will be guided to answer three questions, so we can approve your membership).

Please take care, wash your hands, and keep physically (but not socially) distancing. We’re all in this together, and we’re here to support each other through these challenging times.