Metastasis of carcinoid to the arch of the axis in a multiple endocrine neoplasia patient: a case report.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Carcinoid tumors eventually metastasize to the spine, and epidural spinal cord compression is a relatively frequent neurologic complication of carcinoid. However, a case of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) presenting with spinal cord compression as a result of a metastatic carcinoid tumor has not been reported previously.

PURPOSE: To report an extremely rare case of MEN1 presenting with spinal cord compression by metastatic carcinoid tumor.

STUDY

DESIGN

Case report.

METHODS

A 51-year-old man, with a past history of thymoma, insulinoma, and gastric carcinoid presented with neck pain. Neuroradiological examination revealed that a tumor around the arch of the axis compressed the spinal cord with osteoblastic changes.

RESULTS

After hemilaminectomy of the axis and removal of the tumor followed by irradiation, the patient returned to his previous job. Histological examination confirmed metastatic carcinoid tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal metastasis of carcinoid tumor occurred in a multiple endocrine neoplasia patient, and it is significant to note that carcinoid metastasis is one of differential diagnoses for osteoblastic lesions.