Carcinoid tumors of the orbit: a dilemma of diagnosis and treatment.

Carcinoid tumors arise from the gastrointestinal tract or the bronchial tree, and tumors of either origin produce symptoms locally or secrete amines that produce a carcinoid syndrome systemically. Metastatic carcinoid tumors to the orbit are rare and, thus, present a special problem in diagnosis and treatment. We describe a case of metastatic orbital carcinoid that presented itself 6 years prior to the discovery of the primary ileal lesion. This case report describes the unusual presentation, reviews previously published data, and addresses controversial opinions regarding therapy.