[Bronchial carcinoid tumor: a retrospective analysis of 62 surgically treated cases].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the results of surgical treatment for lung carcinoid tumor. PATIENTS AND METHOD The medical records of 62 patients who underwent surgical intervention for lung carcinoid tumor between May 1985 and October 2000 were reviewed. RESULTS Fifty-two patients had typical carcinoid tumors and 10 had atypical carcinoid tumors. Hilar or mediastinal lymph node metastases were present in 9 patients. Distant metastasis occurred in 5 patients and was significantly more frequent in those with the atypical carcinoid histological subtype. The overall survival rate at 15 years was 70%, with a mean survival rate of 138 (SD 11) months, calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. We found no statistically significant correlation between smoking and the development of carcinoid tumors. CONCLUSIONS Although carcinoid tumors behave like low-grade malignant tumors, they should be treated in the same way as other malignant lung tumors. Curative surgical resection is the technique of choice whenever possible.