American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test

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What is the typical behavior of type 3 gastric carcinoids?

  1. Indolent with no metastasis

  2. Aggressive with frequent metastasis

  3. Average growth with localized spread

  4. Typically less than 1 cm in size

The correct answer is: Aggressive with frequent metastasis

Type 3 gastric carcinoids are typically aggressive tumors that frequently metastasize. This behavior is notable due to their tendency to invade surrounding tissues and spread to distant sites within the body, often leading to a poorer prognosis compared to other types of gastric carcinoids. While the characteristics of gastric carcinoids can vary, type 3 carcinoids stand out for their malignant potential. This aggressive nature is distinguished by a higher rate of proliferation and a larger size at diagnosis. Importantly, understanding the typical behavior of type 3 gastric carcinoids helps guide clinical management, including the need for more aggressive treatment and monitoring strategies for metastasis. The other types of carcinoids, particularly type 1 and type 2, are usually less aggressive and have different clinical implications, reflecting how the biological behavior of tumors can vary significantly within the same organ based on their classification.