Description of patients with midgut carcinoid tumours: clinical database from a Danish centre.
BACKGROUND
We have initiated a clinical database of patients with neuroendocrine tumours (n = 132). Data on patients with well-differentiated endocrine carcinoma (WHO classification) previous classified as midgut carcinoid patients, are presented.


METHODS
Retrospectively, 56 patients with midgut carcinoid tumours were evaluated with respect to symptoms, primary tumour size, metastases, tumour markers, treatment and survival.


RESULTS
Flushing was described in 29%, diarrhoea in 52%, abdominal pain in 34%, bronchial constriction in 2% and carcinoid heart disease in 4% of the patients. Fifty-two percent had liver metastases at referral. Twenty-seven percent were considered to have had radical surgery. Patients not considered for radical surgery and patients with liver metastases had significantly higher tumour marker levels (serum chromogranin A (CgA), serum serotonin and urinary 5-hydroxyindolic acid (5-HIAA)) compared to radically-operated patients and to patients without liver metastases (p<0.05, respectively). For all the midgut carcinoid tumour patients the overall 5-year survival rate was 72%. The radically-operated patients had a 5-year survival rate of 100% (other death causes excluded). The patients with normal CgA or <5 liver metastases at referral had a 100% 5-year survival rate. The patients with <5 liver metastases had a significantly better 5-year survival rate compared to patients with multiple liver metastases (100% vs. 50%, p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This group of patients exhibited the same characteristic clinical features with similar survival as reported from other specialised centres. Radical surgery, normal CgA level and <5 liver metastases indicated a good prognosis and patients with <5 liver metastases had a significantly better survival compared to patients with multiple liver metastases.
Nykjaer
Karen Marie
KM
Department of Medicine V (Hepatology and Gastroenterology), Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Grønbaek
Henning
H
Nielsen
Dennis Tønner
DT
Christiansen
Peer
P
Astrup
Lone Bording
LB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002275:Carcinoid Heart Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004701:Endocrine Gland Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor