[Management of digestive system carcinoid tumors and carcinoid syndrome]

Carcinoid tumors are rare, most of the publications are case reports and the clinical series are uncommon. The quality of life and survival time of these patients depend on the adequate control of tumor growth and good palliation of their symptoms.

The purpose of this study is to inform epidemiological data and forms of management for these tumors and the Carcinoid Syndrome at the National Institute of Cancerology (INCan) at Mexico City in the last 15 years.

A retrospective review of the clinical records of patients diagnosed and treated at the INCan with carcinoid tumors from 1982 to 1997 was performed.

The most common origin place was the gastrointestinal tract (GI), and the majority involved the right colon and the appendix. The longest survivors were patients with tumors originated in the appendix, tumors smaller than 2 cm or localized. At the time of diagnosis 47% of patients had metastatic disease that was also a poor prognostic factor. The experience in our hospital seem to support the use of interferon alone or in combination with octreotide or debulking surgery for the palliation of carcinoid syndrome.

Carcinoid tumors are rare, and have a slow growth and less aggressive biological nature than noncarcinoid tumors. Treatment should be focused on trying to cure the small or localized lesions or to find the best palliative method for those symptomatic advanced lesions.