Primary hepatic carcinoid tumor: one Egyptian center experience

Carcinoid tumors of the liver are rare and pose both a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Our aim was to study the diagnosis and treatment of primary hepatic carcinoid and to highlight its incidence in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma in our series and review of literature.

Between March 1992 and May 2005, we managed 5 patients (1 male, 4 females) with primary hepatic carcinoid in our center.

The main presentation was upper abdominal pain with palpable mass, while in one patient tumor was discovered accidentally, none of them had carcinoid syndrome. The tumors were located in the left lobe in one patient, caudate lobe in two patients and right lobe in two patients. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically with light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Four patients remain alive and disease free after follow-up of 72, 18, 16, and 4 months. One patient died after 11 years of follow-up with recurrence after 10 years, with mean follow-up of 45.2 +/- 53.1 months in May 2005.

Primary hepatic carcinoid tumor is rare. It occurs on top of non-cirrhotic liver. Hepatic resection even in large-sized tumor is the treatment of choice.