A rare case of primary ovarian carcinoid

Abstract

We present a rare case in an elderly Caucasian lady of primary ovarian carcinoid tumor, causing symptoms of the carcinoid syndrome and severe carcinoid heart disease. Carcinoid tumors are the commonest neuroendocrine tumors, the majority of which are found in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. Ovarian carcinoids represent only 0.1% of all ovarian neoplasms and 1% of all carcinoid tumors. Carcinoid syndrome can present with flushing, diffuse watery diarrhea, wheezing and breathlessness and in advanced cases lead to carcinoid heart disease. This involves damage to the right heart structures and pulmonary hypertension, which can cause significant breathlessness and peripheral edema, and is associated with a worse prognosis. Diagnosis involves multi-modality radiological imaging and biochemical analysis of neuroendocrine tumor markers, and the first line treatment should always be resection of the tumor where possible. Prognosis is generally favorable, except in some cases with metastasis.

Chinese abstract

我们提供一例罕见的导致类癌综合征和类癌心脏病的原发性卵巢类癌。类癌瘤是最常见的神经内分泌肿瘤, 大多数位于胃肠道和肺部。卵巢类癌在所有卵巢肿瘤中占0.1%, 在所有类癌中占1%。类癌综合征可出现潮红、弥漫性水样泻、气喘和呼吸困难, 晚期可导致类癌心脏病。这涉及到损伤右心结构和肺动脉高压, 可引起明显的呼吸困难和外周水肿, 且与不良预后有关。诊断包括多方面的放射影像学和神经内分泌肿瘤标记物的生化分析, 一线治疗应尽可能地切除肿瘤。除某些转移病例外, 预后一般是好的。

Keywords:

• Ovarian carcinoid
• carcinoid syndrome
• carcinoid heart
• carcinoid tumor
• carcinoid

Disclosure statement

The authors whose names are listed immediately above certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies), or non-financial affiliations in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. No funding was obtained in the process of producing this manuscript.

Any views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors, and not an official position of the institution for which we are employed.