Well-differentiated endocrine cell carcinoma of ileum treated by laparoscopy-assisted surgery--a case report

A 72-year-old woman presented at our hospital with a 1-year history of intermittent right lower abdominal pain. Colonoscopic examination revealed a submucosal tumor with a pitted surface in the terminal ileum. Histopathological diagnosis of the carcinoid tumor was made following biopsy. Blood serotonin and urine 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid levels were normal, and carcinoid syndrome was not detected. Enhanced abdominal computed tomography scan and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography failed to detect multiple lesions, lymph node swelling or distant metastasis. Laparoscopy-assisted ileocecal resection with lymph node dissection was performed. The resected specimen showed a submucosal tumor with a pitted surface 11 x 11 mm in size, located at the terminal ileum. Histopathological examination revealed a well-differentiated endocrine cell carcinoma with an invasion depth to the muscularis propria. Immunohistochemical analysis showed the tumor cells to be chromogranin A and CD56-positive. The patient had no sign of recurrence for 16 months.