Statistical AnalysisResultsBronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors are considered as a relatively uncommon and less malignant group of lung cancers. However, patients with histologically atypical disease are known to have a worse prognosis. The present study aims to evaluate the long-term outcomes after resection of bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors according to the new tumor, nodes, metastasis (TNM) staging system.MethodsPatients with histologically proven bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors who underwent surgery in our thoracic unit over the last 25 years were identified from a prospectively collected database.ResultsOne hundred and eighty-six patients were identified from our electronic database. Of these, 164 were known to have typical disease, while 22 had atypical disease. Median overall survival was 20.0 years. The mean follow-up was 8.0 years (median 7.0 years). Univariate analysis found age over 60, atypical disease, TNM staging, N status, and M status to have a statistically significant influence on overall survival. Multivariate analysis found age over 60 and atypical histopathology to have a detrimental impact on overall survival. Patients in the atypical subgroup were found to be significantly older, and presented with higher stage disease.ConclusionsIt is clear from the current study and previous reports that patients with atypical histopathology have different baseline characteristics, disease behavior, and prognosis compared with patients with typical disease. The proposed TNM staging system appears to be applicable to patients in our surgical experience, and may offer more accurate prognostic information and assist in the management plans for individuals.CTSNet classification:10GENERAL THORACIC SURGERYThe Annals of Thoracic Surgery CME Program is located online at http://cme.ctsnetjournals.org. To take the CME activity related to this article, you must have either an STS member or an individual non-member subscription to the journal.Carcinoids are an uncommon and heterogeneous group of tumors belonging to the neuroendocrine tumor spectrum. Typical and atypical forms of bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors were initially described by Engelbreth-Holm in 1944 [
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