Cryosurgery kills the cancer by freezing it. Hepatic artery embolization uses drugs or other agents to reduce or block the flow of blood to the liver in order to kill cancer cells growing in the liver. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the digestive system.
Biological therapy tries to get the patient's body to fight the cancer.
It uses materials made by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against disease. Treatment of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor depends on the type of tumor, the stage, and the patient's overall health. Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired. Clinical trials are ongoing in most parts of the country for most stages of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor.