Surgery for carcinoid tumours of the lower gastrointestinal tract.
BACKGROUND
Carcinoid tumours are rare neoplasms that originate from neuroendocrine cells of the primitive gastrointestinal tract. Mid- and hind-gut tumours comprise the majority of these rare tumours. With many recent advances in medical treatment the role and importance of surgery and the surgeon needs to be assessed.


METHODS
A Medline, Pubmed and Embase databases search was undertaken. All relevant articles were cross-referenced.


CONCLUSIONS
Incidental findings of carcinoid tumours should be treated at initial surgery whilst elective surgery and further management should be undertaken in specialist centres by a multidisciplinary team. Asymptomatic patients have a better prognosis than those with symptoms. In advanced cases surgery combined with chemotherapy and liver resection is appropriate. The outlook for the majority of cases is good.
Goede
A C
AC
University Department of Surgery, Royal Free Hospital and University College London Medical School, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, UK.
Winslet
M C
MC
D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011379:Prognosis