Carcinoid tumors may arise anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract from the cardia to the rectum. They have also been reported in ectopic tissue of the gastrointestinal tract, as in dermoid cysts. Rarely, they are found in the bronchi, gall bladder, Meckel's diverticulum, nasal cavity, cervix, pancreas, neck, extrarectal region, testis, prostate, mesentery, and liver. Carcinoid tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are comparatively rare lesions, although increasing numbers of cases are being reported with better understanding of the pathogenesis and pathology. Incidences ranging from 0.65% to 1.8% have been reported. Between 1947 and 1954, twenty-four cases of carcinoids of the gastrointestinal tract were encountered at the Ochsner Clinic. In addition, there was one carcinoid of the appendix seen in 1943. Our experience with these 25 cases will be reviewed and the literature on carcinoids discussed. HISTORY Lubarsch 1 is generally credited with describing the first case of carcinoid in 1888, although