Recurrence of Pulmonary Carcinoid Tumors After Resection: Implications for Postoperative Surveillance

This retrospective review of a large institutional database identified 337 patients who had undergone resection of a pulmonary carcinoid tumor and tracked recurrence and survival rates. 95% of recurrences were distant and only 24% were detected during routine follow-up. Only 3% of patients with typical carcinoid tumors suffered recurrence compared to 26% of those with atypical tumors. The authors suggest that routine follow up may not be indicated in patients with resected typical carcinoid tumors who have no risk factors.