Carcinoid tumour of the parotid gland

Carcinoid tumour metastasis to the submandibular gland: a case report

Carcinoid tumours are slow growing tumours of neuroendocrine origin that primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract and pulmonary system. They can behave aggressively, with regional and distant metastases, although metastases to the head and neck region are uncommon. We present a rare case of carcinoid metastasis to the submandibular gland, which to the best of our knowledge has not been previously reported in the literature.

The Role of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Metastatic Orbital Carcinoid Tumors

Carcinoid tumor metastatic to the orbit is a rare occurrence. We report such a case in a patient with a carcinoid metastasis that was found in the medial rectus muscle. The diagnosis was established via a transnasal endoscopic approach. We also discuss the treatment of metastatic orbital carcinoid in the hope that we will increase awareness of the utility of transnasal endoscopy in facilitating both the diagnosis and treatment of posteromedial orbital pathology.

Primary Carcinoid Tumor of the Parotid Gland: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Salivary gland tumors account for 3 to 6% of all head and neck neoplasms in adults. Some 70 to 85% of these lesions are found in the parotid. Carcinoid tumors, which represent a distinct and relatively uncommon subset of neuroendocrine tumors, are most commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract, although in rare cases they are known to occur in extragastrointestinal locations, including the larynx, middle ear, and pancreas. Malignancies of the parotid gland are uncommon (approximately 25% of parotid neoplasms), and to the best of our knowledge, a primary carcinoid tumor of the parotid has not been previously described in the literature. Reports of parotid carcinoid tumors during the past 30 years have described the presence of nonparotid primary carcinoid tumors (usually gastrointestinal) that had been diagnosed and treated several years prior to the presentation of the parotid lesion. Under such circumstances, the parotid lesion may be assumed to have been a metastatic rather than a primary carcinoid. This report documents what we believe is the first case of a primary carcinoid tumor of the parotid gland. We detail the clinical, surgical, radiologic, immunologic, and histochemical findings associated with its diagnosis, and we describe our management of this case. Although a primary carcinoid in this location is exquisitely rare, knowledge of such lesions is important because their management is substantially different from that of other parotid tumors. In particular, it is important to differentiate them from metastatic tumors from other sites.