Gastric carcinoid tumors: The problems encountered in diagnosis and treatment

Gastric carcinoid tumors are rare tumors that originate from gastric enterochromaffin-like cells in the oxyntic mucosa and constitute 3.2-4% of all carcinoid tumors. Herein, outcome of a single institution experience with gastric carcinoid tumors were evaluated retrospectively. The patients with gastric carcinoid tumors were analyzed with respect to their presenting signs and symptoms, serum gastrin level, imaging studies, operative procedures and outcome of 21 patients with gastric carcinoid tumor were enrolled in this study. Sixteen patients had type 1 and 5 had type IV gastric carcinoid tumors. Endoscopic biopsy was performed in 15 patients with type I and in 2 patients with type IV. Multifocal tumor was seen in 7 patients with type I. Preoperative serum gastrin levels were high in 11 patients with type I and 3 patients with type IV gastric carcinoid tumor. In the patients with type I gastric carcinoid tumor, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) was performed in 6 patients with only one tumor and the tumor size less than 1 cm. In this group, 3 patients had relapse (50%). Total gastrectomy was performed in all the patients with type IV gastric carcinoid tumor. The 5-year survival of type I and IV gastric carcinoid tumors were 69.1% and 48.6%, respectively.