title: Bronchial carcinoid tumours in children: surgical treatment and outcome in a single institution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carcinoid tumors are low grade, malignant, neuroendocrine neoplasms. Although rare, they represent the most common primary bronchial tumours in childhood. The aim of our study was to analyse the long-term survival and surgical treatment outcome in our young patients operated for carcinoid tumour.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the data of 15 paediatric patients who underwent surgery at our Institution. There were 11 male and 4 female patients with a median age of 15 years (range 8-18). All carcinoids were centrally located and symptomatic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We performed 10 (66.7%) parenchyma-saving procedures (5 sleeve lobectomies, 3 sleeve resections of the main bronchus, 2 bronchoplasties associated with lung resection) and 5 (33.3%) standard resections (3 bilobectomies and 2 lobectomies). There were 13 typical and 2 atypical carcinoids. Three patients (20%) had nodal metastases. There were no surgery-related deaths or complications. At long-term follow-up all patients presented with regular growth and all but one are alive. Two (13.3%) patients needed re-operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that, in experienced and skilled hands, conservative procedures are the treatment of choice for the management of paediatric bronchial carcinoids. Relapses can be successfully treated with re-operation and they can occur even after many years, underlining the importance of long-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery, Cardio-vascular-thoracic Science, Padova, Italy. giorizz@hotmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzardi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marulli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rugge
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rebusso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rea
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome