PROGNOSIS OF GASTRIC CARCINOID-TUMORS

With the aim of evaluating the prognosis of carcinoid tumours of the stomach, the tumours were classified into subtypes on the basis of the type of gastritis, and a comparison made of the type of treatment, metastasizing rate, and the survival rates of the various groups of patients involved. Of the patients with atrophic autoimmune gastritis (type A gastritis) (n = 88) who had multiple carcinoid tumours in the corpus or fundus, usually not more than 1 cm in diameter, 98% were followed up clinically or by endoscopy and biopsy. In these patients, the metastasizing rate was 0%, and the age-corrected Kaplan-Meier survival rate revealed normal life expectancy. 25% of the patients with sporadic carcinoid tumours (n = 12) - most of whom had a Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis and usually solitary tumours located within the corpus or fundus, 25% of which exceeding 1 cm in diameter - underwent surgical treatment. In these patients the metastasizing rate was 16.7% and the age-corrected survival rate 79%. On the basis of our results, we conclude that, depending upon the subtype involved, the prognosis of gastric carcinoid tumours varies, such that regular endoscopy/biopsy follow-up suffices for patients with type A gastritis, while for patients with sporadic carcinoid tumours, surgical treatment is indicated.