Mr Jacques, a 55 year farmer had an endoscopy performed for dyspepsia. It showed:
What is the diagnosis?
Carcinoid tumour affecting the proximal greater curvature
Discuss the endoscopic diagnosis of carcinoid tumour?
- Carcinoid tumours arise from the neuroendocrine cells in the mucosa and submucosa.
- They have a white, yellow or gray appearance that can be observed through the intact mucosa. The yellow colour is a result of cholesterol and lipid accumulation within the tumour.
- They may be intramural masses, or they may protrude into the lumen as polypoid nodules. The overlying gastric or intestinal mucosa may be intact or have focal ulceration.
- Although carcinoid tumours can be subepithelial, deep biopsies often helps in establishing the diagnosis histologically.
Further reading
Link to Neuroendocrine tumour section
Images courtesy of www.gastrointestinalatlas.com
