Gastric carcinoid tumours and atrophic gastritis

The clinical and pathologic data from 11 patients with gastric carcinoid tumours were analysed. Histological examination revealed associated atrophic gastritis in corpus in all patients, and 4 patients had pernicious anaemia. Most patients underwent an extensive gastric resection, complicated by one death. Several facts that should have an influence upon the surgical strategy were noticed. The patients were comparatively young; the mean age was 52 years. Ten of the tumours were located in the corpus and fundus area, and only one was antral. The two largest tumours measured 2-3 cm in diameter, the others being less than 1 cm, but at least in four cases multifocal. None of the tumours metastasized, but the largest one recurred locally. Limited surgical procedures and follow-up with repeated gastroscopies might be advisable in small gastric carcinoids which seem to be low grade malignant tumours with slow growth.