What are the stages of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor?

Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors are classified by stage, and stages are determined by how advanced they are. There are three main stages:

• Localized tumors are confined to the digestive organ in which they began to grow: the stomach, intestine, appendix, colon, or rectum.
• Regional tumors have spread to adjacent lymph nodes, muscles, fat, or other tissues.
• Metastatic tumors have spread to more distant organs or tissues. Most commonly, gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors spread to the liver.