Intestinal carcinoid tumours: personal experience and a review of the literature [I carcinoidi intestinali: esperienza personale e revisione della letteratura]

The observation of a number of cases of intestinal carcinoid tumours prompted the authors to review the literature in order to define the principal biological and anatomopathological aspects and the current therapeutic choices. The diagnosis is often obtained on the basis of anatomopathological examination. The kind of surgical treatment is still a matter of controversy: minimal or extended resection? A number of criteria may orient the surgeon towards major surgery, such as tumour size, node involvement, infiltration of the serous membrane, and liver metastases.