Primary carcinoid tumor of the ovary: report of an unusual case.

Carcinoid tumors are endocrine malignancies that are often associated with a characteristic syndrome, the malignant carcinoid syndrome, which is most common in patients with small bowel tumors and liver metastases. In the rare instances when the syndrome is present without liver metastases the primary tumor is usually localized to the bronchus or ovary and secretes hormones directly into the systemic circulation. About two thirds of patients with carcinoid syndrome have evidence of carcinoid heart disease. We report on a case of a primary ovarian carcinoid tumor with an unusual clinical presentation.