[Carcinoid tumors of the appendix. Review of the literature and two case reports].
Gastrointestinal carcinoids are infrequent but at the same time hardly rare tumours. They are often chance findings but, as is clearly reported in the literature, their potential malignancy should not be overlooked. They are most commonly localised in the appendix. The authors describe two case reports of carcinoid tumours of the appendix, one of which was diagnosed during left hemicolectomy due to Crohn's disease and the other during acute appendicitis. Prognostic and therapeutic problems are discussed in the light of the most recent literature.