Cervical soft tissue metastasis of typical carcinoid tumor preceding diagnosis of ileal primary by 4 years.

A solitary cervical metastasis of a typical carcinoid tumor was found in the subcutaneous tissue of an asymptomatic 38-yr-old woman. Investigations failed to disclose the primary site until the 5th yr, when she presented with carcinoid syndrome. Multifocal ileal carcinoid tumors were resected and debulking of abdominal metastases performed. Interferon and somatostatin analogue treatment resulted in remission. Solitary cervical metastasis is an exceedingly rare initial manifestation of a mid-gut carcinoid tumor, and poses a therapeutic dilemma. There are no directions in the literature as to whether a "wait-and-see" approach or exploration surgery is the preferred management when one is confronted by a cervical metastasis of typical carcinoid tumor of unknown primary site.