Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of endoscopic excision for rectal carcinoids.
Methods: Clinical data of 91 patients with rectal carcinoids treated by endoscopic excision from 2000 to 2007 were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: The average size of the primary tumor was 0.8 cm(range 0.3 to 2.3 cm). All the tumors were localized within the submucosal layer showing typical histology without lymphatic or vessel infiltration. Follow-up was available for 80 patients with mean 32.5 months (range 6 to 96 months). There was no recurrence in 65 patients with tumor size < 1.0 cm. Recurrence occurred in 3 cases among 25 patients with tumor size from 1.0 to 2.0 cm, and 1 died of hepatic metastasis. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of the patients were 100%, 98.0%, and 91.4% respectively.
Conclusions: Tumor size and depth of invasion are two important prognostic factors of rectal carcinoids. Endoscopic excision is useful for rectal carcinoid patients with tumor size < 1.0 cm and located within the submucosal layer.