Incidentally Found Rectal Carcinoid Tumor in a 46-Year-Old Female: The Potential for Complications and the Importance of Screening Guidelines

Abstract

Carcinoid tumors are rare neuroendocrine tumors that can be found in the gastrointestinal tract as well as other areas throughout the body. The neurosecretory nature of these tumors can have implications for other chronic diseases that patients may have, such as diabetes. Certain treatments that may be implemented for patients who have carcinoid tumors, such as somatostatin analogs and Everolimus, can also alter blood glucose control. This highlights the importance of diagnosing and treating carcinoid tumors as early as possible to avoid complications associated with metastasis and more intense treatment. With more advanced diseases, clinicians should consider the possible effects of carcinoid tumors and their treatments on other chronic conditions as they manage the patient. For gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors, colonoscopy screening guidelines are incredibly important to counsel patients on, as resection can yield a complete cure for carcinoid tumors when they are found at an early stage. Here, we describe the case of an incidentally diagnosed rectal carcinoid tumor in a 46-year-old female patient with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension.