Recent advances in carcinoids and gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors

The main advances in the management of carcinoid and gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors have been in the areas of imaging and therapy. New techniques have been developed to detect and identify the sites of tumor so that correct therapeutic decisions can be made. Although surgery remains the mainstay of treatment of localized and some cases of advanced disease, the use of biologic agents and new drugs has proven valuable in those patients in whom surgery is not indicated. These include interferon-alpha, the somatostatin analogue octreotide, omeprazole. Different methods of delivery have been investigated with mixed success. Future progress in the understanding and management of neuroendocrine tumors is likely to be slow due to their rarity and long natural history.