Abstract
Twelve cases of endoscopically detected rectal carcinoid tumor were studied clinicopathologically in order to evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic polypectomy. The results were as follows. 1) Most of the tumors (75%) were macroscopically sessile. Smooth and yellowish surface was typically observed. 2) The size of the tumors in 9 cases were less than 10mm in diameter. Invasion was limited to the submucosal layer in 10 cases, and spreaded to the proper musculal layer in other 2 cases. Small sized tumor (less than l0mm in diameter) with proper muscle or muscular invasion and/or distant metastasis was not be seen in our cases. 3) Four cases were treated by endoscopic polypectomy and the other 8 cases were treated surgically. In the Japanese reports, 39 cases of the rectal carcinoid were treated by endoscopic polypectomy. Tumor size of 31 cases (79%) were less than l0mm in diameter. In 6 cases, however, additional surgical treatments were needed, because the tumors were shown at the resected margin. But only 1 case of residual tumor was reported. In conclusion, endoscopic polypectomy is useful therapeutic method for small sized rectal carcinoid tumor (less than 10mm in diameter).
