A half century of experience with carcinoid tumors in children.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency, presentation, clinical management, and prognosis of appendiceal carcinoid tumors in children.


METHODS
A review of our institution's experience over 50 years.


RESULTS
Twenty-two patients below the age of 20 presented with appendiceal carcinoid tumor. The mean age at presentation was 14.6 years. Twelve patients presented with symptoms of appendicitis. No tumor was > 2.0 cm in size. Only 2 patients underwent resection beyond appendectomy. No patient had recurrent or metastatic carcinoid tumor, and all but 1 patient (who died of ovarian choriocarcinoma) are alive without evidence of carcinoid tumors 1.5 to 30 years after diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Appendiceal carcinoid tumors in children are rarely life-threatening and the incidence of large tumors (> 2.0 cm) is very low. The role of right hemicolectomy in large (> 2.0 cm) tumors is questionable in this age group.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male