ABSTRACT
Carcinold tumors at atypical sites are rare and mostly asymptomatic. In the majority they show normal levels of serotonin and its metabolites in plasma and urine, resulting in a relatively late diagnosis and hence poor prognosis. Relatively large sizes and local recurrences are features of carcinoids at atypical locations and may direct the surgeons' attention to their possible existence. A report of three cases of Carcinoid tumors in the breast, abdominal paravertebral region and the duodenum is given. The symptoms and clinical findings in the three cases were vague and did not raise any suspicion of Carcinoid. Repeated local recurrence in the three cases after excision was the clue for the diagnosis that was confirmed by appropriate diagnostic tools. Carcinoid tumors at atypical sites are either benign or low grade malignant neoplasms with a good long-term prognosis after surgical treatment. Routine resection, which may be aggressive, is the treatment of choice whenever possible, even in recurrent cases. The survival of patients depends basically on the tumor size and the presence of distant metastases. When resection is not feasible, reduction of tumor size may be possible by treatment with Somatostatin analogs