[Neuroendocrine tumors of the digestive system].

Despite their rare occurrence, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors have been in the centre of interest because of the wide scale and variability of clinical signs and symptoms associated with oversecretion of different hormones. In the present review the authors summarize epidemiological data, pathologic findings, clinical symptoms, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic methods presently available for the management of patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. In addition to surgical treatment and receptor-specific radionuclide therapy used in cases with surgically noncurable tumors, the therapeutic use of somatostatin analogues in recent years has resulted an important advance in the management of patients with these tumors. Somatostatin analogues alone or in combination with other pharmacological therapies may be used effectively for elimination of symptoms of hormonal oversection and, in a number of cases, for diminishing tumor progression.