The bronchial carcinoid tumor. Experience in our hospital

Introduction: The bronchial carcinoid tumor represents the 2% of all lung tumors showing a different behavior to other lung tumors. Objective: To analyze the behavior of bronchial carcinoid tumors in our environment. Methods: A retrospective observational study over a period of 20 years (1994-2014) of patients diagnosed with carcinoid tumor in our hospital. Data was obtained from the clinical records: clinical, pathological, diagnostic method and survival. Results: 69 patients. 66% male, mean age 54,6 years. 35% smoker, 38 % ex smoker, 27% no smoker. 56 (81%) typical, 13 (19%) atypical carcinoid tumor. The mean greatest pathologic dimension was 21 ±10 mm; results were not significantly different between typical and atypical (p =0,075) Symptoms at diagnosis: asymptomatic 36, recurrent infection 10, hemoptysis 7, cough 6. It was found that there was a consistent location of tumors. 82% of these tumors were endobronchial in origin. Diagnostic methods: bronchoscopy 35 (51%), intraoperative biopsy 40 (28%) and transthoracic puncture in 6 (9%). The most frequent surgical procedures were lobectomy with lymphadenectomy in 28 patients (40,6%), lobectomy, 25 patients (36%), bilobectomy 9 (13%). During this period there was a mortality of 13 cases (19%) on which 4 (6%) were associated with tumor recurrence; being 1 of the group of typical and atypical 3. Conclusions: In most cases the patients did not have symptoms at diagnosis Bronchoscopy was the most frequent diagnosis method Lobectomy with lymphadenectomy was the intervention in the highest percentage of cases.