title: An unusual presentation of a carcinoid tumor of the common bile duct.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carcinoid tumors arising from the bile ducts account for only a small fraction of biliary tract cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report herein a 42-year-old man with a carcinoid tumor of the common bile duct. He presented with abdominal pain, bloating and dyspepsia. Clinicolaboratory and imaging studies suggested a probable obstructive common bile duct lesion. The patient underwent an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with a stent placement in view of common bile duct decompression. Persistence of symptoms prompted a laparotomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy that revealed a well-differentiated carcinoid tumor originating in the common bile duct.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinician's familiarity with the unusual sites of origin of neuroendocrine tumors and/or atypical presentation of such tumors may facilitate their early recognition and allow for a timely intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Ashif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jethava
authors.forename: Visvanathan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muralidharan
authors.forename: Thalia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mesologites
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoica-Mustafa
authors.forename: Constantin A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dasanu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003138:Common Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002864:Chromogranins; D016708:Synaptophysin