Term «carcinoid» Originally used to designate benign tumors of the small intestine. However, modern medicine knows: carcinoid - by no means a harmless tumor, and the object of defeat it is not only a small bowel. Read more about carcinoid in this article.
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Carcinoid - tumor, structurally reminiscent of cancer, in terms of cases has biological activity.
Term «carcinoid» For the first time proposed by Obraftmfer in 1907. To indicate reminding carcinoma of benign tumors of the small intestine.
In the future, it was found that these tumors, proceeding relatively benign, have the ability to metastasize and often lead to severe complications.
Carcinoid is a relatively rare tumor, localizes mainly in the gastrointestinal tract: in 70-80% of cases in a worm-shaped process, less often in the stomach and intestines. It is also found in the pancreas in the form of insuls, in T.C. In bronchi, bustling bubble, liver and other organs. Its varies from 0.1 to 2 cm, sometimes it reaches 6-8 cm in diameter. The tumor has a denselastic consistency, gray-yellow color.
Feature of carcinoids - slow growth (tumor for a long time is like in the latent state). Metastasis appear in later stages of the disease. Tumor metastasis is observed at about 30-40% of cases; Exception is a carcinoid of a worm-like process that metastasizes very rarely.
Clinically distinguish the so-called non-functioning carcinoid and functioning (with carcinoid syndrome). Non-functioning carcinoid, especially a heart-shaped process, can leak asymptomatic.
Only in later stages there may be pain, develop depending on the localization of the pathological process of intestinal obstruction, peritonitis, bleeding, and lung atelectasis.
Carcinoid syndrome is observed approximately 25% of patients, usually in cases where metastases have. It is due to the release of tumor cells of biologically active substances - serotonin, histamine, kininov. Carcinoid syndrome is manifested by tides in the form of diffuse or spotted hyperemia of the face and the upper half of the body, accompanied by a feeling of heat, sometimes tachycardia, a fall of blood pressure.
Such attacks arise spontaneously or in connection with the admission of alcohol, food, stressful situations. They are short-term or continue for several days, they can proceed, with spastic pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, shortness of breath, psychomotor excitation. With a long flow of the process, the patients appear pigmentation of the skin, the lesion of the endocarda of the heart valves is observed, the phenomena of bronchospasm.
A few words about the diagnosis and treatment of carcinoid
Diagnostics of carcinoid, especially with small tumor sizes, is difficult. Non-functioning carcinoid at an early stage is most often a random find during a survey or operation; In emerging cases, diagnostics in the same way as with other tumors, it is not based on a clinical picture, laboratory and instrumental research.
Treatment operational. With a significant magnitude of the tumor and even the presence of extensive metastases is recommended to remove the primary hearth and, if possible, metastatic nodes, which makes it possible to reduce clinical manifestations. Chemotherapeutic tools are usually ineffective. Patients with carcinoid syndrome are carried out symptomatic treatment. Forecast in the absence of metastases relatively favorable.
