Pitfalls in the follow up for appendiceal carcinoid in a girl: a case report

Carcinoid tumors of the gastro-intestinal tract are rare tumors, usually incidentally discovered after an operation for different reasons. Those located in the appendix are the most common gastro-intestinal epithelial tumors in childhood (1), and are always found after an operation for acute appendicits (2). The behaviour of these neoplasms in children is less aggressive comparing it with that of adults: the lesions are generally small, not invasive and not characterized by distant metastases (3). Due to their rarity and the evidence in literature of only a few complicated cases, the clinical-therapeutic approach still represents a challenge. In this report it is discussed a case of a 15 year old girl, who presented hepatic nodules simulating metastatic lesions during her followup for appendiceal carcinoid (AC).