Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get StartedRisk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that increase the risk of carcinoid tumors include:
- Older age. Older adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor than are younger people or children.
- Family history. A family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia, type I (MEN I) syndrome increases the risk of carcinoid tumors. In people with MEN I syndrome, multiple tumors occur in glands of the endocrine system.
- Smoking. Smoking tobacco may increase the risk of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors.
- Other medical conditions. Conditions that affect the stomach's ability to produce acid, such as gastritis, pernicious anemia and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, can increase your risk of gastrointestinal carcinoids.