Abstract

Background: Carcinoid tumors are rare, slow-growing neuroendocrine neoplasms that often are indolent and may not become clinically apparent until there has been metastatic spread or evidence of carcinoid syndrome. Case report: A 44-year old man who presented to our clinic with chronic crampy left lower quadrant pain, mass and severe anemia had a history of previous cancer operation from the left colon. The MR scan demonstrated a calcified mesenteric mass sized 12*8*10 cm, with surrounding left colon mesenteric infiltration. The liver was normal. A case of ischaemic ileal necrosis associated with elastic vascular sclerosing substances secreted by mesenteric metastases of an ileal carcinoid tumor is presented here. Conclusion: It is postulated that intestinal ischaemia may be of more importance in the development of abdominal pain in carcinoid tumors than that has generally been accepted, and that it is a result of the functional and structural changes in the mesenteric blood vessels, caused by substances secreted by the carcinoid tumor.