Carcinoid syndrome caused by a pulmonary carcinoid mimics intestinal manifestations of ulcerative colitis: A case report

Carmen Mota Reyes, Henriette Klein, Fabian Stögbauer, Henrik Einwächter, Melanie Boxberg, Moritz Schirren, Seyer Safi, Hans Hoffmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND Pulmonary carcinoids are rare, low-grade malignant tumors characterized by neuroendocrine differentiation and relatively indolent clinical behavior. Most cases present as a slow-growing polypoidal mass in the major bronchi leading to hemoptysis and pulmonary infection due to blockage of the distal bronchi. Carcinoid syndrome is a paraneoplastic syndrome caused by the systemic release of vasoactive substances that presents in 5% of patients with neuroendocrine tumors. Due to such nonspecific presentation, most patients are misdiagnosed or diagnosed late and may receive several courses of antibiotics to treat recurrent pneumonia before the tumor is diagnosed. CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 48-year-old male who presented with cough, dyspnea, a history of recurrent pneumonitis, and therapy-refractory ulcerative colitis that completely subsided after the resection of a pulmonary carcinoid. CONCLUSION We report and emphasize pulmonary carcinoid as a differential diagnosis in patients with nonresponding inflammatory bowel diseases and recurrent pneumonia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5014-5019
Number of pages6
JournalWorld Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume29
Issue number33
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Carcinoid syndrome
  • Case report
  • Neuroendocrine tumor
  • Paraneoplastic syndrome
  • Pulmonary carcinoid
  • Ulcerative colitis

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