Localized Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors
Regional Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors
Metastatic Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors
Recurrent Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Carcinoid tumors in the appendix

Treatment of localized gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors in the appendix may include the following:

• Appendectomy.
• Appendectomy and local excision.
• Appendectomy, bowel resection with anastomosis, and removal of lymph nodes.

Rectal carcinoid tumors

Treatment of localized gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors in the rectum may include the following:

• Fulguration.
• Local excision.
• Resection.

Surgery that saves the sphincter muscles (the muscles that open and close the anus) may be possible.

Small bowel carcinoid tumors

Treatment of localized gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors in the small intestine may include the following:

• Local excision.
• Resection with removal of nearby lymph nodes.

Gastric, colon, and pancreatic carcinoid tumors

Treatment of localized gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors in the stomach, colon, or pancreas is usually resection.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with localized gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor.

Treatment is usually surgery to remove all the cancer that can be seen at the site of the original tumor, as well as nearby tissues and lymph nodes.

If the tumor cannot be completely removed by surgery, treatment is usually palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life. This may include the following:

• Resection, cryosurgery, or radiofrequency ablation to remove as much of the tumor as possible.
• Chemoembolization to shrink tumors in the liver.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with regional gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor.

Distant metastases

If the metastatic gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor is not causing symptoms, there may be a period of watchful waiting before treatment is given. Treatment of distant metastases of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors is usually palliative therapy that may include the following:

• Surgery to bypass or remove part of a tumor blocking the small intestine.
• Chemotherapy, which may include chemoembolization.
• Radiation therapy, sometimes with radioisotopes such as radioactive iodine (I¹³¹).
• MIBG (metaiodobenzylguanidine) therapy.
• Biologic therapy and/or hormone therapy.
• Clinical trials of new treatments.

Carcinoid syndrome

Treatment of metastatic gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors that are causing carcinoid syndrome may include the following:

• Resection, cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, or percutaneous ethanol injection for tumors in the liver.
• Hepatic artery ligation or embolization, with or without regional or systemic chemotherapy.
• Hormone therapy.
• Biologic therapy with or without chemotherapy.
• Clinical trials of new combinations of chemotherapy.

A heart valve replacement may be done for some patients with carcinoid syndrome.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with metastatic gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor.

Treatment of recurrent gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors may include the following:

• Surgery to remove part or all of the tumor.
• A clinical trial.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor.

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