Intestinal neuroendocrine tumor in a patient with pituitary adenoma. A case report and review of the current screening recommendations.
BACKGROUND
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) patients are prone to develop carcinoid tumors. Few cases report the development of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors in patients with MEN-1 syndrome related tumors. This is the first paper to report the occurrence of an intestinal carcinoid tumour in association with a pituitary adenoma.


METHODS
A sixty eight year old female presented with intestinal obstruction four years after transphenoidal pituitary resection for pituitary adenoma. During surgical exploration and lysis of adhesions, we accidentally discovered an intestinal carcinoid tumour. Resection of the involved small bowel segment and the draining lymph nodes was undertaken. Postoperative follow up showed no biochemical or radiological evidence of residual tumor.Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) may occur as part of familial endocrine cancer syndromes including MEN-1. It is recommended that clinicians search thoroughly for MEN-1 in patients presented with NETs, however, there is no current consensus for screening patients suspected to have MEN-1 to rule out NET.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend screening patients suspected to have any familial type of endocrine tumors for the presence of NET.
Boutros
Cherif
C
Department of Surgery, Monmouth Medical Center 300 Second Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740, USA. cherifboutros@hotmail.com.
Cheng-Robles
Diana
D
Goldenkranz
Robert
R