A HALF-CENTURY OF EXPERIENCE WITH CARCINOID-TUMORS IN CHILDREN

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency, presentation, clinical manageme nt, and prognosis of appendiceal carcinoid tumors in children. METHOD: A review of our institution's experience over 50 years. RESULTS: Twen ty-two patients below the age of 20 presented with appendiceal carcino id tumor. The mean age at presentation was 14.6 years. Twelve patients presented with symptoms of appendicitis. No tumor was >2.0 cm in size . Only 2 patients underwent resection beyond appendectomy. No patient had recurrent or metastatic carcinoid tumor, and all but 1 patient (wh o died of ovarian choriocarcinoma) are alive without evidence of carci noid tumors 1.5 to 30 years after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Appendiceal carcinoid tumors in children are rarely life-threatening and the incid ence of large tumors (>2.0 cm) is very low. The role of right hemicole ctomy in large (>2.0 cm) tumors is questionable in this age group.