Surgical management of tumors that produce gastrointestinal hormones.

Gastrointestinal hormones are produced by specialized endocrine cells found both in the pancreas and distributed throughout the gut. Tumors, both benign and malignant, produce excessive amounts of hormone and thereby cause characteristic syndromes. Surgical management must be primarily directed at tumor removal in order to effect cure of the syndrome, as well as to prevent complications of persistent tumor growth and, subsequently, metastasis.