Carcinoid tumors.

A retrospective study of 86 patients with carcinoid tumors was undertaken covering an 18-year period. The most common sites of tumor were the jejunoileum (28 cases), appendix (22), and rectum (16). These were followed by the bronchus, duodenum, colon, and stomach. Three tumors had such wide-spread metastasis that their primary sites of origin could not be determined. The appendiceal and rectal carcinoids were often benign and usually found as incidental tumors, whereas colon and jejunoileal carcinoids were often metastatic. The jejunoileal carcinoids were commonly associated with multiple tumor sites and had a high frequency of secondary neoplasms. Symptomatic tumors were often metastatic. Chronic intermittent intestinal obstruction was often present with mesenteric metastasis, and liver metastasis was associated with the carcinoid syndrome. The patients' survival was good if aggressive surgical therapy was undertaken for palliation of the tumors.