Well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the stomach (gastric carcinoid
tumors) are observed more often, with a tenfold increase in the US in the last 30 – 35
years, and the prognosis has improved greatly in that time. Nowadays most carcinoids
of the stomach are diagnosed at an early stage. Four types of gastric NETs have been
proposed and recognition of the type is important for defining the diagnostic approach
and treatment. Often gastric NETs (especially type 1) are found incidentally during
a gastroscopy performed for other reasons; most of these NETs are smaller than 20 mm
in size. Conservative management and endoscopic surveillance is adequate for well
differentiated, multifocal gastric carcinoids (type 1 or type 2 gastric NETs) that
are less than 10 – 20 mm in diameter, unless they show angioinvasion, infiltrate the
muscular wall, or have a proliferation rate above 2 %. Endoscopic ultrasound is the
method of choice to determine tumor size and depth of infiltration. It is essential
to distinguish between multifocal (types 1 and 2) and unifocal type 3 or type 4 gastric
NETs, since surgery is indicated for type 3 gastric NETs larger than 10 mm in diameter
and for poorly differentiated (localized) neuroendocrine gastric carcinomas (type
4 gastric NET). For optimal management, the type, biology, and stage of the tumor
as well as the individual situation of the patient must be considered. Most patients
with well differentiated gastric NETs can be treated conservatively and be followed
up with endoscopic surveillance.
References
- 1
Modlin I, Oberg K, Chung D. et al .
Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.
Lancet Oncol.
2008;
9
61-72
- 2
Yao J, Hassan M, Phan A. et al .
One hundred years after “carcinoid”: epidemiology of and prognostic factors for neuroendocrine
tumors in 35,825 cases in the United States.
J Clin Oncol.
2008;
26
3063-3072
- 3
Hauso O, Gustafsson B I, Kidd M. et al .
Neuroendocrine tumor epidemiology: contrasting Norway and North America.
Cancer.
2008;
113
2655-2664
- 4
Hassan M, Phan A, Li D. et al .
Risk factors associated with neuroendocrine tumors: A U.S.-based case-control study.
Int J Cancer.
2008;
123
867-873
- 5
Kulke M, Scherübl H.
Accomplishments in 2008 in the management of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors.
Gastrointest Cancer Res.
2009;
3 Suppl 2
S43-S47
- 6
Burkitt M D, Pritchard D M.
Review article: Pathogenesis and management of gastric carcinoid tumours.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther.
2006;
24
1305-1320
- 7
Delle Fave G, Capurso G, Milione M, Panzuto F.
Endocrine tumours of the stomach.
Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol.
2005;
19
659-673
- 8
Lombard-Bohas C, Mitry E, O’Toole D. et al .
Thirteen-month registration of patients with gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours
in France.
Neuroendocrinology.
2009;
89
217-222
- 9
Borch K, Ahrén B, Ahlman H. et al .
Gastric carcinoids: biologic behavior and prognosis after differentiated treatment
in relation to type.
Ann Surg.
2005;
242
64-73
- 10
Ito T, Tanaka M, Sasano H. et al .
Preliminary results of a Japanese nationwide survey of neuroendocrine gastrointestinal
tumors.
J Gastroenterol.
2007;
42
497-500
- 11
Landry C, Brock G, Scoggins C.
A proposed staging system for gastric carcinoid tumors based on an analysis of 1543
patients.
Ann Surg Oncol.
2009;
16
51-60
- 12
Modlin I, Lye K, Kidd M.
A 5-decade analysis of 13 715 carcinoid tumors.
Cancer.
2003;
97
934-959
- 13
Modlin I, Lye K, Kidd M.
A 50-year analysis of 562 gastric carcinoids: small tumor or larger problem?.
Am J Gastroenterol.
2004;
99
23-32
- 14
Grabowski P, Scherübl H.
Expression of neuroendocrine markers in undifferentiated carcinomas of the gastrointestinal
tract.
J Clin Oncol.
2005;
23
4795-4797
- 15
Nilsson O, Van Cutsem E, Delle Fave G. et al .
Poorly differentiated carcinomas of the foregut (gastric, duodenal and pancreatic).
Neuroendocrinology.
2006;
84
212-215
- 16
Rindi G, Klöppel G, Ahlman H. et al .
TNM staging of foregut (neuro)endocrine tumors: a consensus proposal including a grading
system.
Virchows Arch.
2006;
449
395-401
- 17
Klöppel G, Clemens A.
The biological relevance of gastric neuroendocrine tumors.
Yale J Biol Med.
1996;
69
69-74
- 18
Klöppel G, Rindi G, Anlauf M. et al .
Site-specific biology and pathology of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Virchows Arch.
2007;
451 Suppl 1
S9-S27
- 19
Ruszniewski P, Fave G, Cadiot G. et al .
Well-differentiated NE gastric tumors/carcinomas.
Neuroendocrinology.
2006;
84
158-164
- 20 Solcia E, Klöppel G, Sobin L H. (in collaboration with 9 pathologists from 4 countries)
.Histological typing of endocrine tumours. 2nd edn. WHO international histological
classification of tumours. Berlin; Springer 2000
- 21
Soga J.
Gastric carcinoids: a statistical evaluation of 1094 cases collected from the literature.
Surg Today.
1997;
27
892-901
- 22
Soga J.
Early-stage carcinoids of the gastrointestinal tract: an analysis of 1914 reported
cases.
Cancer.
2005;
103
1587-1595
- 23
Rindi G, Bordi C, Rappel S. et al .
Gastric carcinoids and neuroendocrine carcinomas: pathogenesis, pathology, and behavior.
World J Surg.
1996;
20
168-172
- 24
Rindi G, Azzoni C, La Rosa S. et al .
ECL cell tumor and poorly differentiated endocrine carcinoma of the stomach: prognostic
evaluation by pathological analysis.
Gastroenterology.
1999;
116
532-542
- 25
Hou W, Schubert M.
Treatment of gastric carcinoids.
Curr Treat Opin Gastroenterol.
2007;
10
123-133
- 26
Berna M, Annibale B, Marignani M. et al .
A prospective study of gastric carcinoids and enterochromaffin-like cell changes in
multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: identification
of risk factors.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab.
2008;
93
1582-1591
- 27
Norton J A, Melcher M L, Gibril F, Jensen R T.
Gastric carcinoid tumors in multiple endocrine neoplasia-1 patients with Zollinger-Ellison
syndrome can be symptomatic, demonstrate aggressive growth, and require surgical treatment.
Surgery.
2004;
136
1267-1274
- 28
Gibril F, Schumann M, Pace A, Jensen R T.
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. A prospective
study of 107 cases and comparison with 1009 patients from the literature.
Medicine (Baltimore).
2004;
83
43-83
- 29
Rindi G, Solcia E.
Endocrine hyperplasia and dysplasia in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal and pancreatic
endocrine tumors.
Gastroenterol Clin N Am.
2007;
36
851-865, vi
- 30
Peghini P L, Annibale B, Azzoni C. et al .
Effect of chronic hypergastrinemia on human enterochromaffin-like cells: insights
from patients with sporadic gastrinomas.
Gastroenterology.
2002;
123
68-85
- 31
Lehy T, Cadiot G, Mignon M. et al .
Influence of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 on gastric endocrine cells in patients
with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Gut.
1992;
33
1275-1279
- 32
Cadiot G, Laurent-Puig P, Thuille B. et al .
Is the multiple endocrine neoplasia type I gene a suppressor for fundic argyrophil
tumors in the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome?.
Gastroenterology.
1993;
105
579-582
- 33
Cadiot G, Cattan D, Mignon M.
Diagnosis and treatment of ECL cell tumors.
Yale J Biol Med.
1998;
71
311-323
- 34
Cadiot G, Vissuzaine C, Potet F, Mignon M.
Fundic argyrophil carcinoid tumor in a patient with sporadic-type Zollinger-Ellison
syndrome.
Dig Dis Sci.
1995;
40
1275-1278
- 35
Namikawa T, Kobayashi M, Okabayashi T. et al .
Primary gastric small cell carcinoma: report of a case and review of the literature.
Med Mol Morphol.
2005;
38
256-261
- 36
Oates J A, Sjoerdsma A.
A unique syndrome associated with secretion of 5-hydroxytryptophan by metastatic gastric
carcinoids.
Am J Med.
1962;
32
333-342
- 37
Scherübl H, Schaaf L, Raue F. et al .
Hereditäre neuroendokrine gastroenteropankreatische Tumore und multiple endokrine
Neoplasie Typ1. Teil 1: Aktuelle Diagnostik.
Dtsch Med Wochenschr.
2004;
129
630-633
- 38
Scherübl H, Faiss S, Zeitz M.
Neuroendokrine gastrointestinale Tumore. Diagnostik und Therapie.
Dtsch Med Wochenschr.
2003;
128
S81-S83
- 39
Bordi C, Azzoni C, Ferraro G. et al .
Sampling strategies for analysis of enterochromaffin-like cell changes in Zollinger-Ellison
syndrome.
Am J Clin Pathol.
2000;
114
419-425
- 40
Gladdy R A, Strong V E, Coit D. et al .
Defining surgical indications for type 1 gastric carcinoid tumor.
Ann Surg Oncol.
2009;
16
3154-3160
- 41
Zimmer T, Scherübl H, Faiss S. et al .
Endoscopic ultrasonography of neuroendocrine tumours.
Digestion.
2000;
62
45-50
- 42
Rösch T.
State of the art lecture: endoscopic ultrasonography: training and competence.
Endoscopy.
2006;
38 Suppl
S69-S72
- 43
Wiedenmann B, Bäder M, Scherübl H. et al .
Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor imaging with somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy.
Semin Oncol.
1994;
21
29-32
- 44
Ahlman H, Kolby L, Lundell L. et al .
Clinical management of gastric carcinoid tumors.
Digestion.
1994;
55
77-85
- 45
Dakin G, Warner R, Pomp A. et al .
Presentation, treatment, and outcome of type 1 gastric carcinoid tumors.
J Surg Oncol.
2006;
93
368-372
- 46
Guillem P.
Gastric carcinoid tumours. Is there a place for antrectomy?.
Ann Chir.
2005;
130
323-326
- 47
Saka M.
A case of recurrent gastric carcinoid tumor.
Jpn J Clin Oncol.
2007;
37
801
- 48
Shimizu N, Kaminishi M.
Management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
Nippon Geka Gakki Zasshi.
2008;
109
147-151
- 49
Ichikawa J, Tanabe S, Koizumi W. et al .
Endoscopic mucosal resection in the management of gastric carcinoid tumors.
Endoscopy.
2003;
35
203-206
- 50
Hopper A D, Bourke M J, Hourigan L F. et al .
En-bloc resection of multiple type 1 gastric carcinoid tumors by endoscopic multi-band
mucosectomy.
J Gastroenterol Hepatol.
2009;
24
1516-1521
- 51
Hosokawa O, Kaizaki Y, Hattori M. et al .
Long-term follow up of patients with multiple gastric carcinoids associated with type
A gastritis.
Gastr Cancer.
2005;
8
42-46
- 52
Wängberg B, Grimelius L, Granérus G. et al .
The role of gastric resection in the management of multicentric argyrophil gastric
carcinoids.
Surgery.
1990;
108
851-857
- 53
Yamamoto C, Aoyagi K, Hizawa K. et al .
A case of multiple gastric carcinoid associated with type A gastritis.
Gastroenterol Endosc.
1997;
39
659-664
- 54
Grozinsky-Glasberg S, Kaltsas G, Gur C. et al .
Long-acting somatostatin analogues are an effective treatment for type 1 gastric carcinoid
tumours.
Eur J Endocrinol.
2008;
159
475-482
- 55
Tomassetti P, Migliori M, Caletti G C. et al .
Treatment of type II gastric carcinoid tumors with somatostatin analogues.
N Engl J Med.
2000;
343
551-554
- 56
Jensen R T, Berna M J, Bingham M D, Norton J A.
Inherited pancreatic endocrine tumor syndromes: advances in molecular pathogenesis,
diagnosis, management and controversies.
Cancer.
2008;
113 (7 Suppl)
1807-1843
- 57
Richards M L, Gauger P, Thompson N W, Giordano T J.
Regression of type II gastric carcinoids in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 patients
with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome after surgical excision of all gastrinomas.
World J Surg.
2004;
28
652-658
- 58
Höpfner M, Schuppan D, Scherübl H.
Treatment of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors with inhibitors of growth factor
receptors and their signaling pathways: recent advances and future perspectives.
World J Gastroenterol.
2008;
14
2461-2473
- 59 Jensen R T.
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. In: Doherty GM, Skogseid B, ed Surgical endocrinology: Clinical syndromes. Philadelphia;
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2001: 291-344
- 60
Hosokawa O, Miyanaga T, Kaizaki Y. et al .
Decreased death from gastric cancer by endoscopic screening: association with a population-based
cancer registry.
Scand J Gastroenterol.
2008;
43
1112-1115
- 61
Scherübl H.
Options for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.
Lancet Oncol.
2008;
9
203
- 62
Oberg K, Jelic S. ESMO Guidelines Working Group .
Neuroendocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumors: ESMO clinical recommendations for diagnosis,
treatment and follow-up.
Ann Oncol.
2008;
19 Suppl 2
104-105
- 63
Ramage J K, Davies A H, Ardill J. et al .
Guidelines for the management of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine (including
carcinoid) tumours.
Gut.
2005;
54 Suppl 4
1-16
- 64
Scherübl H, Faiss S, Jahn H U. et al .
Neuroendocrine tumors of the stomach (gastric carcinoids) are on the rise: good prognosis
with early detection.
Dtsch Med Wochenschr.
2009;
134
1529-1535
H. ScherüblMD
Klinik für Innere Medizin – Gastroenterologie und Gastrointestinale Onkologie
Vivantes-Klinikum Am Urban
Dieffenbachstrasse 1
10967 Berlin
Germany
Fax: +49-30-130225205
eMail: hans.scheruebl@vivantes.de