Atypical Bronchial Carcinoid Tumor Revealed by Liver Biopsy

Bronchial carcinoid tumors develop from the Kulchitsky cells of the bronchial epithelium, which are stem cells with neuroendocrine properties. These tumors are divided into two types: typical forms and atypical forms, the latter being much rarer, more aggressive, and having a much higher probability of recurrence and distant metastasis. We report herein a rare case of an atypical lung carcinoid tumor metastatic to the liver. The patient is a 79-year-old woman who presented with purely digestive symptoms evolving for two years, with loss of appetite and deterioration of her general condition. The radiological assessment showed a pulmonary lesion with secondary hepatic and osseous nodules. A hepatic biopsy was performed and morphological and immunohistochemical results were compatible with an atypical bronchial carcinoid tumor, metastatic to the liver and bone.