Primary carcinoid tumor of the frontal sinus: A case report

Carcinoid tumors are rare, indolent, neuroendocrine tumors that are most commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. They occasionally develop in the head and neck, either as a primary tumor or, more commonly, as a metastasis. The most common sites of head and neck carcinoids are the larynx and middle ear. Only a few cases of carcinoid in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses have been reported. We describe a case of primary typical carcinoid of the frontal sinus in a 61-year-old man, and we review the clinical, imaging, surgical, and histochemical findings in this case. The patient was treated with endoscopic resection. A subsequent workup for metastatic and occult primary disease was negative, confirming that the frontal sinus was the primary source. At follow-up 12 months postoperatively, the patient remained without disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a primary typical carcinoid tumor originating in the frontal sinus.