Gastric carcinoids:Between underestimation and overtreatment

Gastric carcinoids(GCs),which originate from gastric enterochromaffin-like(ECL) mucosal cells and account for 2.4% of all carcinoids,are found increasingly in the course of upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy.Current nosography includes those occurring in chronic conditions with hypergastrinemia,as the type 1 associated with chronic atrophic gastritis,and the type 2 associated with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1,and type 3,which is unrelated to hypergastrinemia and is frequently malignant,with distant metastases.The optimal clinical approach to GCs remains to be elucidated,depending upon type,size and number of carcinoids.While there is agreement concerning the treatment of type 3 carcinoids,for types 1 and 2,current possibilities include simple surveillance,endoscopic polypectomy,surgical excision,associated or not with surgical antrectomy,or total gastrectomy.Moreover,the recent introduction of somatostatin analogues represents a therapeutic option of possibly outstanding relevance.

Concomitant gastric carcinoid and gastrointestinal stromal tumors:A case report

A gastric carcinoid tumor concomitant with gastrointestinal stromal tumor （GIST） is rarely encountered in clinical practice. We report a 65-year-old female who had a 0.8 cm gastric carcinoid tumor on the posterior wall of the upper gastric corpus detected during an esophagogastroduodenoscopy at a routine physical examination, and a concomitant 1.1 cm GIST on the anterior wall of the upper gastric corpus incidentally found during surgery of the gastric carcinoid tumor. Normal serum gastrin level and histological findings suggested that she had a type 111 gastric carcinoid tumor and a GIST which were categorized a very low risk of malignancy, based on their small size and lack of mitosis. Both tumors were treated successfully by surgical excision. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Neither recurrence nor metastasis was found after a 28-mo follow-up.

Treatment of solitary gastric carcinoid tumor by endoscopic polypectomy in a patient with pernicious anemia

Type I gastric cardnoid tumors result from hypergastrinemia in 1%-7% of patients with pernicious anemia. We diagnosed pernicious anemia in a 48-year-old female patient with complaint of fatigue for three months. She had no gastrointestinal symptoms. Endoscopic examination ot the upper gastrointestinal tract revealed atrophic gastritis and a polypoid lesion in the corpus of 3-4 mm in size. Endoscopic polypectomy was performed. Histopathological examination of the specimen revealed positive chromogranin A and synaptophysin stainings compatible with the diagnosis of a carcinoid tumor. Serum gastrin level was increased, urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid was within the normal range. There was no other symptom, sign, or laboratory finding of a carcinoid syndrome in the patient. No metastasis was found with indium-ill octreotide scan, computed tomographies of abdomen and thorax. Type I gastric carcinoid tumors are only rarely solitary and patients with tumors 〈 1 cm in size may benefit from endoscopic polypectomy.

Gastric carcinoid in a patient infected with Helicobacter pylori:A new entity?

There are four types of gastric carcinoid tumors, classified according to their histology and malignant potential. Only a few cases of carcinoid tumors in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori （H. pylor/） have been reported so far. We report a patient infected with H. pylori presenting with a small solitary gastric carcinoid tumor with very low proliferative rate and normal gas- trin levels. The tumor was endoscopically removed and the patient received an eradication therapy against H. pylori. No signs of metastatic disease have been found so far during more than 3 year of follow-up. Infection with H. pylori may cause chronic gastritis with normal or elevated gastrin levels, leading to the develop- ment of gastric carcinoids by mechanisms unrelated to gastrin. Enterochromaffin-like cell tumors related to a chronic H. pylori infection may be considered as a distinct type of gastric carcinoid tumors.

Hypergastrinemia and recurrent type 1 gastric carcinoid in a young Indian male: Necessity for antrectomy?

Carcinoid tumors are the most common neuroendocrine tumors. Gastric carcinoids represent 2% of all carcinoids and 1% of all gastric masses. Due to the wide-spread use of Esophagogastroduodenoscopy for evaluating a variety of upper gastrointestinal symptoms, the detection of early gastric carcinoids has increased. We highlight an alternative management of a young patient with recurrent type 1 gastric carcinoids with greater than 5 lesions, as well as lesions intermittently greater than 1 cm. Gastric carcinoids have a variable presentation and clinical course that is highly dependent on type. Type 1 gastric carcinoids are usually indolent and have a metastasis rate of less than 2%, even with tumors larger than 2 cm. There are a number of experts as well as organizations that recommend endoscopic resection for all type 1 gastric carcinoid lesions less than 1 cm, with a follow-up every 6-12 mo. They also recommend antrectomy for type 1 gastric carcinoids with greater than 5 lesions, lesions 1 cm or greater, or refractory anemia. However, the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines state that type 1 gastric carcinoid surveillance is controversial based on the evidence and could not make an evidence-based position statement on the best treatment modality. Our report illustrates a rare cause of iron deficiency anemia in a young male (without any medical history) due to multiple recurrent gastric carcinoid type 1 lesions in the setting of atrophic gastritis causing hypergastrinemia, and in the absence of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Gastric carcinoid type 1 can present in young males without an autoimmune history, despite the known predilection for women aged 50 to 70 years. Type 1 gastric carcinoids can be managed by endoscopic resection in patients with greater than 5 lesions, even with lesions larger than 1 cm. This course of treatment enabled the avoidance of early antrectomy in our patient, who expressed a preference against more invasive measures at his young age.

Metastatic type 1 gastric carcinoid:A real threat or just a myth?

AIM:To describe disease characteristics and treatment modalities in a group of rare patients with metastatic gastric carcinoid type 1(GCA1).METHODS:Information on clinical,biochemical,radiological,histopathological findings,the extent of the disease,as well as the use of different therapeutic modalities and the long-term outcome were recorded.Patients’data were assessed at presentation,and thereafter at 6 to 12 monthly intervals both clinically and biochemically,but also endoscopically and histopathologically.Patients were evaluated for the presence of specific symptoms;the presence of autoimmune disorders and the presence of other gastrointestinal malignancies in other family members were also recorded.The evaluation of response to treatment was defined using established WHO criteria.RESULTS:We studied twenty consecutive patients with a mean age of 55.1 years.The mean follow-up period was 83 mo.Twelve patients had regional lymph node metastases and 8 patients had liver metastases.The primary tumor mean diameter was 20.13±10.83mm(mean±SD).The mean Ki-67 index was 6.8%±11.2%.All but one patient underwent endoscopic or surgical excision of the tumor.The disease was stable in all but 3 patients who had progressive liver disease.All patients remained alive during the follow-up period.CONCLUSION:Metastatic GCA1 carries a good overall prognosis,being related to a tumor size of≥1 cm,an elevated Ki-67 index and high serum gastrin levels.

Sporadic gastric carcinoid tumor successfully treated by two-stage laparoscopic surgery:A case report

We report a case of sporadic gastric carcinoid tumor successfully treated by two-stage laparoscopic surgery.A 38-year old asymptomatic woman was referred to our hospital for evaluation of a submucosal tumor of the stomach.Endoscopic examination showed a solitary submucosal tumor without ulceration or central depression on the posterior wall of the antrum and biopsy specimens were not sufficient to determine the diagnosis.Endoscopic ultrasound revealed a tumor nearly 2 cm in diameter arising from the muscle layer and a computed tomography scan showed the tumor enhanced in the arterial phase.Laparoscopic wedge resection was performed for definitive diagnosis.Pathologically,the tumor was shown to be gastric carcinoid infiltrating the muscle layer which indicated the probability of lymph node metastasis.Serum gastrin levels were normal.As a radical treatment,laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with regional lymphadenectomy was performed 3 wk after the initial surgery.Finally,pathological examination revealed no lymph node metastasis.

Successful type-oriented endoscopic resection for gastric carcinoid tumors: A case report

The standard treatment in Japan for gastric carcinoid has been gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy. This report describes the possibility of endoscopic treatment as an appropriate option for gastric carcinoid fulfilling certain conditions. A 46 year old woman underwent endoscopic mucosal resection for two 3 mm gastric carcinoids. The patient had hypergastrinemia with pernicious anemia and type A chronic atrophic gastritis, suggesting that the tumors were type Ⅰ in Rindi's classification. Both tumors were located in the mucosal layer with no cellular polymorphism and were chromogranin A positive. Neither tumor recurrence in the stomach nor distant metastases have been documented during the 5 years of follow-up. Although many type Ⅰ gastric carcinoids may be clinically indolent, reports on successful endoscopic treatment for this carcinoid have been scanty in the literature in Japan, presumably because of the hitherto surgical treatment stance for the disease. This report discusses how the size, number, depth and histological grading of the type Ⅰ gastric carcinoid could allow the correct identification of a benign or malignant propensity of anindividual tumor and how endoscopic resection could be a treatment of choice when these factors render it feasible. This stance could also obviate unnecessary surgical resection for more benign tumors.

Risk for gastric neoplasias in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis:A critical reappraisal

Chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） is an inflammatory condition characterized by the loss of gastric glandular structures which are replaced by connective tissue （non-metaplastic atrophy） or by glandular structures inappropriate for location （metaplastic atrophy）. Epidemiological data suggest that CAG is associated with two different types of tumors： Intestinal-type gastric cancer （GC） and type I gastric carcinoid （T I GC）. The pathophysiological mechanisms which lead to the development of these gastric tumors are different, It is accepted that a multistep process initiating from Helico- bacterpylori-related chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa progresses to CAG, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and, finally, leads to the development of GC. The T I GC is a gastrin-dependent tumor and the chronic elevation of gastrin, which is associated with CAG, stimulates the growth of enterochromaffin-like cells with their hyperplasia leading to the development of T I GC. Thus, several events occur in the gastric mucosa before the development of intestinatype GC and/ or T I GC and these take several years. Knowledge ofCAG incidence from superficial gastritis, its prevalence in different clinical settings and possible risk factors as- sociated with the progression of this condition to gastric neoplasias are important issues. This editorial intends to provide a brief review of the main studies regarding incidence and prevalence of CAG and risk factors for the development of gastric neoplasias.

Gastric neuroendocrine tumor: A practical literature review

Gastric neuroendocrine tumors are gastric neoplasms originating from enterochromaffin type cells and are inserted in a larger group,named gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.They are considered rare and variable in terms of their clinical,morphological and functional characteristics and may be indolent or aggressive.They are classified into types I,II and III,according to their pathophysiology,behavior and treatment.Their diagnosis occurs,in most cases,incidentally during upper digestive endoscopies,presenting as simple gastric polyps.Most cases(type I and type II)are related to hypergastrinemia,can be multiple and are treated by endoscopic resection,whenever possible.The use of somatostatin analogs for tumor control may be one of the options for therapy,in addition to total or subtotal gastrectomy for selected cases.Adjuvant chemotherapy is only reserved for poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas.Although rare,gastric neuroendocrine tumors have an increasing incidence over the years,therefore deserving more comprehensive studies on its adequate treatment.The present study reviews and updates management recommendations for gastric neuroendocrine tumors.

Physiological and clinical significance of enterochromaffin-like cell activation in the regulation of gastric acid secretion

Gastric acid plays an important role in digesting food （especially protein）, iron absorption, and destroying swallowed micro-organisms. H＋ is secreted by the oxyntic parietal cells and its secretion is regulated by endocrine, neurocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Gastrin released from the antral G cell is the principal physiological stimulus of gastric acid secretion. Activation of the enterochromaffin-like （ECL） cell is accepted as the main source of histamine participating in the regulation of acid secretion and is functionally and trophically controlled by gastrin, which is mediated by gastrin/CCK-2 receptors expressed on the ECL cell. However, longterm hypergastrinemia will induce ECL cell hyperplasia and probably carcinoids. Clinically, potent inhibitors of acid secretion have been prescribed widely to patients with acid-related disorders. Long-term potent acid inhibition evokes a marked increase in plasma gastdn levels, leading to enlargement of oxyntic mucosa with ECL cell hyperplasia. Accordingly, the induction of ECL cell hyperplasia and carcinoids remains a topic of considerable concern, especially in long-term use. In addition, the activation of ECL cells also induces another clinical concem, i.e., rebound acid hypersecretion after acid inhibition. Recent experimental and clinical findings indicate that the activation of ECL cells plays a critical role both physiologically and dinically in the regulation of gastric acid secretion.

Gastric Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in a Dog

A gastric biopsy specimen from a 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier was analysed using light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. The biopsies were obtained from a 3 × 3 × 4 cm mass located at the gastric cardia. Light microscopy revealed solid nests and sheets of tumour cells separated by abundant fibrovascular stroma in all gastric layers. The tumour cells were monomorphic, with eosinophilic cytoplasm and demonstrated palisading at the periphery. Nuclei were round to oval with densely packed chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. The tumour cells immunohistochemically stained strongly positive for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and pan-cytokeratin. Electron microscopy revealed electron dense neurosecretory granules of 100 - 150 nm in diameter. Metastases were found in regional lymph nodes. Gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma was diagnosed, according to the histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic features.

胃癌中内分泌细胞与癌分化程度的关系

利用11例胃类癌和13例胃低、未分化癌的切除标本,探讨内分泌细胞出现的数量与胃癌类型和分化程度的关系。切片均作了嗜银、亲银组化染色,并用4种神经内分泌抗血清(胃泌素、生长抑素、胰多肽、血清素)PAP法免疫组化染色,4例作了电镜检查。结果胃类癌每例至少一项阳性,其中4例电镜证实有神经分泌颗粒;低、未分化癌组多数病例各项检查阴性,但4例不同阳性结果,其中2例阳性细胞数超过50%,可称内分泌细胞癌。表明肿瘤愈原始,愈多向分化。最后对胃癌中内分泌细胞与癌分化程度的关系,以及胃类癌和胃内分泌细胞癌的特征、名称和组织发生进行了讨论。

8例散发性胃类癌的临床分析及免疫组化

目的为进一步提高对胃类癌的认识,有助于今后对该病的诊断及治疗。方法将华山医院2000-2005年以来经胃镜及术后病理证实且临床资料完整的8例胃类癌病例予以分析总结。对患者的一般情况、临床表现、内镜下表现、病理及免疫组化染色结果、血清肿瘤标志物、手术方式及术后生存情况作统计分析。结果胃类癌的早期临床表现隐匿,3/8的病例是因体检或胃窦炎例行随访胃镜时发现的。4/8首发症状为消化道出血,未见伴有类癌综合征。8例标本Chromograin A、CK、NSE免疫组化染色均为阳性。7例患者血清CEA、CA19-9、CA72-4、CA125、CA50、TSGF有一项以上不同程度的升高。所有患者均行内镜下黏膜大块切除术或胃癌根治术,目前7例尚存活。结论加强体检和内镜随访是早期发现胃类癌的根本办法。血清肿瘤标志物联合检测及特殊免疫组化染色可为诊断提供有力的支持。内镜下黏膜大块切除术或胃癌根治术可改善患者的预后。

胃神经内分泌肿瘤的病理学研究进展

胃神经内分泌肿瘤是起源于胃神经内分泌细胞的肿瘤。近年,在有关胃神经内分泌肿瘤的病因、病理分类、诊断、肿瘤发展过程中分子生物学变化以及治疗等方面都有了许多新的进展。现根据2000年WHO对胃内分泌肿瘤的新分类,以病理学大体观察及组织病理方面的内容为基础,着重对胃神经内分泌肿瘤在病理诊断、治疗方面的国内外进展进行总结。

胃类癌33例诊治分析

目的探讨胃类癌的诊断和治疗方法。方法对1987至2007年期间收治并经病理证实的33例胃类癌患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果33例患者中Ⅰ型类癌8例,Ⅲ型类癌25例。病变位于胃体10例,胃底贲门18例,胃窦5例。临床症状无特异性。全组共31例行手术治疗,1例行内镜下黏膜切除,1例行肝转移灶放疗。25例患者获得随访,时间5～173个月。总体1,3,5年生存率分别为76.2%、47.1%和25.0%。其中Ⅰ型患者全部存活。Ⅲ型患者中9例死亡,其1,3,5年生存率分别为66.7%、30.8%和18.2%。结论胃镜是早期发现胃类癌的重要手段,免疫组化有助于提高类癌的诊断率。胃类癌的治疗以及预后与准确的分型密切相关。

腹腔镜治疗胃类癌35例临床分析

目的:探讨胃类癌的诊断、腹腔镜外科治疗及患者预后。方法:兰州军区兰州总医院普外科2009年10月至2014年6月收治的35例胃类癌患者行腹腔镜手术治疗,观察其疗效及预后。结果:35例患者腹腔镜手术均顺利,术后出现肺部感染、胸腔积液2例,吻合口瘘1例,积极处理后痊愈出院,术后病理结果提示符合胃类癌。结论:胃类癌具有生长缓慢、恶性程度相对较低、临床表现不典型、预后相对其他消化道肿瘤较好的特点,腹腔镜下胃类癌手术治疗,疗效满意。

胃黏膜内类癌合并印戒细胞癌伴胃壁胰腺组织异位的临床病理观察

目的:报道胃黏膜内类癌合并印戒细胞癌和胃壁内胰腺组织异位1例,并结合文献探讨其诊断和鉴别诊断问题．方法:患者,男,63岁,主因“上腹部烧灼样不适2 a余,加重2 mo”行胃镜检查,见胃体大弯前壁黏膜结节状扁平隆起,直径0．7 cm,镜下为类癌．遂行胃大部切除,常规取材病理送检发现上述3个不同部位的病变,对此进行组织病理学、组织化学和免疫组织化学观察并复习相关文献．结果:胃体黏膜固有层内多灶内分泌细胞增生并于胃体大弯侧形成类癌,局灶浸润黏膜肌层,病变呈嗜铬颗粒蛋白A和突触素强阳性; 胃体小弯黏膜固有层内查见印戒细胞癌;胃窦小弯侧肌壁内查见异位胰腺组织伴内分泌细胞成分显著增生,后者由胰岛素、胰高血糖素、生长抑素和胃泌素阳性细胞构成．结论:胃体大弯黏膜内类癌与小弯黏膜内印戒细胞癌是各自独立的病变;肌层和浆膜层内分泌细胞团是增生的胰腺内分泌组织而非类癌浸润．

胃类癌的生物学特性与外科治疗

本文报道了12年间经外科治疗的987例胃恶性肿瘤中的15例胃类癌,占总数的1.52%。发病部位以胃窦部和贲门部较多见。本组均为中晚期患者,半数病例肿块直径在7cm 以上,大多有巨大溃疡性病灶。80%的患者发生淋巴结转移。已侵犯或超出胃壁浆膜层者11例。手术方式以根治性胃大部和全胃切除术为主。从胃类癌的生物学特性可见中晚期胃类癌的生长速度较快,恶性程度也较高,已发生转移和邻近器官侵犯者效果较差,似有别于胃肠道其他器官的类癌。

明胶海绵微粒TACE联合化学消融术治疗胃类癌术后转移1例

本文报道应用综合介入方法治疗胃类癌术后多发转移1例,首先在超声引导下采用化学消融术治疗患者腹腔转移淋巴结,缓解上腹部疼痛,改善患者生活质量,然后应用明胶海绵微粒联合单药奥沙利铂化疗栓塞肝内多发转移病灶,取得了较好临床疗效,为肿瘤术后多发转移患者带来了希望,得临床进一步推广及应用。