Carcinoid Syndrome as Presentation of Gallbladder Carcinoid Tumor; A Case Report

Neuroendocrine tumors are classified as rare tumors that are mostly seen in lung or gastrointestinal tract and can cause many specific sign and symptoms such as flushing, diarrhea, heart failure, tachcardia, emesis and bronchoconstriction. In this case, the tumor is located in gallbladder with classic presentations.

A 59 year-old female attended to our clinic with nausea and vomiting, heartburn, weight loss and flushing. The patient’s ultrasound showed a hypo echo and heterogenic mass (24×36 mm) in the anterior wall of gallbladder which continued to the common hepatic duct and the CT scan reported a 40×21 mm mass like lesion in porto-hepatic area with pressure effect on distal of gallbladder and cystic duct suspicious for lymphadenopathy. The postoperative pathological findings were compatible with typical perineural carcinoid tumor.

Carcinoid or neuroendocrine (NETs) tumors are a type of slow growing tumors that are typically originated from several places of the body and usually begin in gastrointestinal (GI) tract or lung. Carcinoid tumor is a rare GI tract disease which consists about 1% of GI tract tumors. The NETs of gallbladder are very rare. This is necessary for surgeons to consider rare types in order to conduct proper management for this condition.