What is a gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor?
The gastrointestinal (GI) system processes food for energy and rids the body of solid waste. It is also known as the digestive system. After food is chewed and swallowed, it enters the esophagus. This is a tube that carries food through the neck and chest to the stomach. The esophagus joins the stomach just beneath the diaphragm (the breathing muscle under the lungs). The stomach is a sac-like organ that holds food and begins the digestive process by secreting gastric juice. The food and gastric juices are mixed into a thick fluid, which then empties into the small intestine. The small intestine continues breaking down the food and absorbs most of the nutrients. It is the longest section of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, measuring more than 20 feet. The small intestine then joins the colon (large intestine). This is a wider, muscular tube about 5 feet long. The appendix is found near the junction of small intestine and colon. The colon absorbs water and mineral nutrients from the foo
