Strumal carcinoid tumour of the ovary presenting with severe constipation

ABSTRACT

A 30-year-old single woman presented with an incidental finding of abdominal mass associated with severe constipation. Her cancer antigen-25, alpha-foetoprotein and beta human chorionic gonadotropin levels were normal, but her carcinoembryonic antigen level was raised at 7.6 g/dL. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 11.4 cm × 8.6 cm × 9.5 cm right ovarian mass with solid and cystic areas. An open right cystectomy was performed. Intraoperatively, she was found to have hirsutism and clitoromegaly. During the operation, there was a right ovarian 10-cm mass, with faecal loading from the caecum to the transverse colon. The uterus, fallopian tubes, left ovary and intraperitoneal survey were normal. Final histology confirmed strumal carcinoid tumour Stage 1A. This case report shows that a strumal carcinoid tumour can present with longstanding constipation as a patient's main complaint and may also be associated with hirsutism.