Surgical treatment of carcinoid tumours of the stomach and small intestine

Gastric carcinoid tumours can be divided into subtypes with a different pathogenesis and biological behaviour. Individualized surgical treatment of these tumour types is discussed. Liver metastases imply a major problem in patients with carcinoid tumours. Patients with distant metastases can undergo resection for potential cure, or for symptom palliation, due to the slow growth rate of many carcinoid tumours. In patients with the midgut carcinoid syndrome and bilobar liver metastases, interventional treatment by tumour removal and liver embolization followed by medical therapy (octreotide and/or interferon) seem to prolong survival and reduce hormonal symptoms. Patients with the foregut carcinoid syndrome may present special problems with life-threatening release of histamine during interventional treatment.