Bronchopulmonary carcinoids in Iceland 1955-1984. A retrospective clinical and histopathologic study.

Twenty-two cases of bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumor diagnosed in Iceland in the 30-year period 1955-1984 were analyzed. Carcinoid comprised 2% of all primary lung tumors registered in that period. The crude incidence was 0.36 cases/100,000 population/year. The patients' mean age was 48 years and 68% were female. The most common presenting symptom was recurrent pneumonia; only three patients had hemoptysis. One patient had carcinoid syndrome. Two of the 22 tumors were peripheral. Tumor size was 0.8-9 cm, mean 2.8 cm. Of the resectable bronchial tumors, 80% had invaded the pulmonary parenchyma and 18% had metastasized to lymph nodes. Four carcinoid tumors were atypical and showed more malignant behavior. One of them was originally diagnosed as oat-cell carcinoma. Sixteen patients with resectable carcinoid tumor were alive 3 1/2 to 29 years after removal of the tumor.