[Bronchial carcinoid tumor: a retrospective analysis of 62 surgically treated cases]

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the results of surgical treatment for lung carcinoid tumor.

Patients and method: The medical records of 62 patients who underwent surgical intervention for lung carcinoid tumor between May 1985 and October 2000 were reviewed.

Results: Fifty-two patients had typical carcinoid tumors and 10 had atypical carcinoid tumors. Hilar or mediastinal lymph node metastases were present in 9 patients. Distant metastasis occurred in 5 patients and was significantly more frequent in those with the atypical carcinoid histological subtype. The overall survival rate at 15 years was 70%, with a mean survival rate of 138 (SD 11) months, calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. We found no statistically significant correlation between smoking and the development of carcinoid tumors.

Conclusions: Although carcinoid tumors behave like low-grade malignant tumors, they should be treated in the same way as other malignant lung tumors. Curative surgical resection is the technique of choice whenever possible.