by 
The Curious Bag
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Rectal carcinoid (often referred to as a "rectal carcinoid tumor") is a type of abnormal growth, typically 1 to 2 centimeters in size, found on the rectum.
Cause
Carcinoid tumors are thought to be caused by sporadic mutuation of cell growth genes and genes that suppress tumor growth. Little is known about the role cancer-causing chemicals play in the development of carcinoids.
Prevalence
Approximately two-thirds of all carcinoid tumors appear in the gastrointestinal tract. Approximately 15 percent of all carcinoids are rectal carcinoids.
Prognosis
Carcinoids are considered "in between" growths, dangerous yet slow-growing enough to not be designated as malignant. The survival rate for patients over a period of five years is 72 percent. The likelihood of metastasis correlates with the size of the tumor: rectal carcinoids smaller than 1 cm have less than a 2 percent chance of metastasis.
Diagnosis
Rectal carcinoids are typically asymptomatic. They are often discovered during a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.
Treatment
Rectal carcinoids are typically removed via excision or fulguration (removal by burning). Larger carcinoids may involve extensive surgery and the partial removal of the rectum.
Source:
Carcinoid.org: A Review of Carcinoid Disease
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