Primary Mesenteric Carcinoid Tumor Presenting with Carcinoid Syndrome

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) originate from neuroendocrine cells, with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) typically being indolent.
• Carcinoid tumors are a subset of NETs, commonly originating in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs.
• Mesenteric NETs usually indicate metastasis, often with liver involvement causing carcinoid syndrome.

Observation:

• A 64-year-old male presented with carcinoid syndrome.
• The patient was diagnosed with a primary mesenteric carcinoid tumor.
• Crucially, there was no evidence of liver metastasis or other primary tumor sites.

Findings:

• The case highlights the rare occurrence of primary mesenteric carcinoid tumors.
• The patient exhibited carcinoid syndrome directly from the mesenteric tumor, independent of liver metastasis.
• This presentation challenges the typical understanding of carcinoid syndrome origins in mesenteric NETs.

Implications:

• This case expands the known spectrum of neuroendocrine tumor presentations and carcinoid syndrome etiology.
• It underscores the importance of considering rare primary mesenteric tumors in the differential diagnosis of carcinoid syndrome.
• Further research into the pathogenesis of primary mesenteric NETs may be warranted.