Surgery is the preferred treatment for carcinoid tumours, especially in the early stages when the carcinoid tumour has not metastasised, and early surgical resection is usually curative and improves survival time.
Even in advanced stages of carcinoid tumours, surgery is required to remove the tumour, which, although not curative, can provide symptomatic relief and improve the patient’s quality of life over a longer period of time. Surgery can only be considered to be ruled out if some of the carcinoid tumours have metastasised or infiltrated to a greater extent, or if the patient’s personal physical condition does not allow for surgical treatment, and radiotherapy combined with hepatic artery cannulation, embolisation or perfusion is usually required.