Carcinoid tumors of the gastrointestinal tract in Chinese of Taiwan: an analysis of fifty cases.

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal carcinoids are uncommon and potentially metastasizing neoplasms. Many series have been reported but few of them concern Chinese people. In this paper we present data on 50 Chinese with gastrointestinal carcinoids, living in Taiwan, to analyze their clinical features and prognostic factors.

METHODS

From 1971 to 1995, 50 Chinese patients with primary gastrointestinal carcinoids were seen at Veterans General Hospital-Taipei. All patients had pathological proof of carcinoids.

RESULTS

There were 35 males and 15 females with a mean age of 55.9 +/- 2.1 years (range 20-76). The primary sites of the tumors, in order of frequency, were rectum (66%), duodenum (14%), stomach (8%), appendix (4%), ileum (4%), colon (2%) and cecum (2%). The cumulative 5-year survival rate was 73%. Carcinoids > or = 2cm in diameter were more frequently symptomatic and metastatic, and tended to have a lower survival rate than those < 2cm in diameter (p = 0.06). Carcinoids which had invaded the serosa were more frequently symptomatic and metastatic, and had a lower survival rate than intramural carcinoids (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Rectal carcinoids were the most common gastrointestinal carcinoids in the Chinese living in Taiwan. Carcinoids > or = 2cm and carcinoids invading the serosa correlated well with symptom presentations and metastases. Intramural carcinoids had a better prognosis than carcinoids invading the serosa. Carcinoids < 2cm was a potentially positive factor of prognosis.