Atypical primary carcinoid tumour of the skin

Abstract

We present a new case of a primary carcinoid tumour of the skin. The mitotic index (4/10 HPF) warrants classification of this case as atypical. The patient was a 58-year-old woman with a 1-year history of a mass on the scalp. Literature review showed this to be only the seventh case of primary carcinoid tumour of the skin. Importantly, the evolution has been favourable in all seven tumours, with a mean follow-up of 2.5 years for the previous six cases. Although the number of cases is too small to draw definitive conclusions, information to date suggests that this type of tumour can be expected to have a benign behaviour, despite the presence in some cases of criteria suggestive of uncertainty, such as the presence of mitosis.

Skin metastasis from typical carcinoid tumor of the lung

“…Primary cutaneous carcinoid tumors are exceedingly rare, with only seven cases reported to date 27–33 . Although skin metastases are more commonly described as multiple lesions, the histological and immunohistochemical features of primary and secondary carcinoids overlap, thus an extensive and accurate clinical investigation is mandatory.…”

“…Although skin metastases are more commonly described as multiple lesions, the histological and immunohistochemical features of primary and secondary carcinoids overlap, thus an extensive and accurate clinical investigation is mandatory. Primary carcinoids are generally associated with a good prognosis, despite mitotic activity 33 . However, a lymph node metastasis has been reported only in one case 34 …”

Well‐differentiated neuroendocrine tumors in skin: Terminology and diagnostic utility of cytokeratin 5/6 and p63

“…Thus, even in cases of presumed primary cutaneous carcinoid tumor, in the setting of a negative clinical and imaging work‐up, the possibility of an occult primary visceral tumor cannot be entirely excluded. Despite this conundrum, it is generally accepted that a tumor is a primary carcinoid tumor of the skin once an extensive metastatic work‐up has proven to be negative . Histologically, cases of primary carcinoid tumor of the skin can be indistinguishable from metastatic tumors; clinically, they follow a benign course …”

Cutaneous metastases as an initial manifestation of visceral well‐differentiated neuroendocrine tumor: a report of four cases and a review of literature

“…There are rare case reports of proposed primary carcinoid of the skin . In the literature we reviewed, the patients age ranged from 40 to 87 years (mean: 66.3), and primary sites included the scalp, chest, epigastrium, back and eyelid.…”