Gastric carcinoid

Gastric carcinoid tumors are rare lesions but have been the focus of much scientific investigation. The incidence of gastric carcinoid appears to be increasing without a corresponding increase in survival, despite utilization of the latest available therapies. Therefore, there is great interest in furthering the understanding of the biologic basis of these tumors, delineating the connection between hypergastrinemia and gastric carcinoids, and most importantly, improving upon current treatment options.

This review discusses the current biologic understanding of gastric carcinoid tumors, including the role of hypergastrinemia on enterochromaffin-like cell proliferation and its relation to acid-suppressive therapy. Numerous diagnostic and therapeutic modalities including endoscopic ultrasound, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, long-acting octreotide, hepatic artery embolization, endoscopic mucosal resection, and surgical resection have also been the focus of recent investigations.

Despite the many advances that have been made in both the basic science and clinical arenas, the optimal treatment of gastric carcinoid tumors is still a matter of debate. As the understanding of the biologic basis of gastric carcinoid tumors increases, the treatment will likely be a multimodal approach tailored to individual tumor biology and will incorporate a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.