Carcinoid lung tumors

Background Carcinoid lung tumor is a low-grade malignant neoplasm. They tend to grow slower than other types of lung cancers. They are made of special kinds of cells called neuroendocrine cells. Aim To study cases of carcinoid lung tumor admitted, evaluated and surgically managed at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. Patients and methods This is a retrospective and comparative study of 18 patients with pulmonary carcinoid tumors admitted to the Thoracic Department of the Medical City Teaching Complex during 15 years (1996–2010). Their ways of presentation, radiological fi ndings, bronchoscopic appearance and modalities of surgical resection were evaluated. Results Ten of the patients were female and eight were male. Their age ranged between 20 and 58 years. Cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms. Imaging studies were mostly of collapsed lobe or lung. All the patients underwent bronchoscopy, the appearance of which was diagnostic, but biopsy ended with severe bleeding controlled with diffi culty. All the patients underwent successful pulmonary resection. Conclusion Surgery offers the most fruitful outcome in pulmonary carcinoid tumor.