Updated: 3/10/2019

Carcinoid Syndrome

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Introduction
  • Tumor of neuroendocrine origin 
  • Mechanism and pathophysiology
    • tumor location determines whether carcinoid syndrome is present
      • no carcinoid syndrome if the GI mass has not metastasized to the liver
        • liver metabolizes 5-HT arriving in the portal circulation
Presentation
  • Symptoms
    • diarrhea
      • increased bowel motility
    • flushing
  • Physical exam
    • right-sided heart murmurs 
      • tricuspid insufficiency and pulmonary stenosis (TIPS)
    • wheezing
      • increased bronchospasm
Evaluation
  • Biopsy
    • "dense core bodies" seen on EM
      • bodies are secretory granules
    • bright yellow tumor
  • CT scan of liver
    • detect masses
  • Urinalysis
    • 5-HT degraded to 5-HIAA and may be detected in the urine
Treatment
  • Operative
    • resection of primary tumor
      • curative if disease is not metastatic
  • Pharmacologic
    • octreotide (somatostatin analogue)  
      • controls flushing and diarrhea
      • used in period before operation or if disease is inoperable

 

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Lab Values
Blood, Plasma, Serum Reference Range
ALT 8-20 U/L
Amylase, serum 25-125 U/L
AST 8-20 U/L
Bilirubin, serum (adult) Total // Direct 0.1-1.0 mg/dL // 0.0-0.3 mg/dL
Calcium, serum (Ca2+) 8.4-10.2 mg/dL
Cholesterol, serum Rec: < 200 mg/dL
Cortisol, serum 0800 h: 5-23 μg/dL //1600 h:
3-15 μg/dL
2000 h: ≤ 50% of 0800 h
Creatine kinase, serum Male: 25-90 U/L
Female: 10-70 U/L
Creatinine, serum 0.6-1.2 mg/dL
Electrolytes, serum  
Sodium (Na+) 136-145 mEq/L
Chloride (Cl-) 95-105 mEq/L
Potassium (K+) 3.5-5.0 mEq/L
Bicarbonate (HCO3-) 22-28 mEq/L
Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.5-2.0 mEq/L
Estriol, total, serum (in pregnancy)  
24-28 wks // 32-36 wks 30-170 ng/mL // 60-280 ng/mL
28-32 wk // 36-40 wks 40-220 ng/mL // 80-350 ng/mL
Ferritin, serum Male: 15-200 ng/mL
Female: 12-150 ng/mL
Follicle-stimulating hormone, serum/plasma Male: 4-25 mIU/mL
Female: premenopause: 4-30 mIU/mL
midcycle peak: 10-90 mIU/mL
postmenopause: 40-250
pH 7.35-7.45
PCO2 33-45 mmHg
PO2 75-105 mmHg
Glucose, serum Fasting: 70-110 mg/dL
2-h postprandial:<120 mg/dL
Growth hormone - arginine stimulation Fasting: <5 ng/mL
Provocative stimuli: > 7ng/mL
Immunoglobulins, serum  
IgA 76-390 mg/dL
IgE 0-380 IU/mL
IgG 650-1500 mg/dL
IgM 40-345 mg/dL
Iron 50-170 μg/dL
Lactate dehydrogenase, serum 45-90 U/L
Luteinizing hormone, serum/plasma Male: 6-23 mIU/mL
Female: follicular phase: 5-30 mIU/mL
midcycle: 75-150 mIU/mL
postmenopause 30-200 mIU/mL
Osmolality, serum 275-295 mOsmol/kd H2O
Parathyroid hormone, serume, N-terminal 230-630 pg/mL
Phosphatase (alkaline), serum (p-NPP at 30° C) 20-70 U/L
Phosphorus (inorganic), serum 3.0-4.5 mg/dL
Prolactin, serum (hPRL) < 20 ng/mL
Proteins, serum  
Total (recumbent) 6.0-7.8 g/dL
Albumin 3.5-5.5 g/dL
Globulin 2.3-3.5 g/dL
Thyroid-stimulating hormone, serum or plasma .5-5.0 μU/mL
Thyroidal iodine (123I) uptake 8%-30% of administered dose/24h
Thyroxine (T4), serum 5-12 μg/dL
Triglycerides, serum 35-160 mg/dL
Triiodothyronine (T3), serum (RIA) 115-190 ng/dL
Triiodothyronine (T3) resin uptake 25%-35%
Urea nitrogen, serum 7-18 mg/dL
Uric acid, serum 3.0-8.2 mg/dL
Hematologic Reference Range
Bleeding time 2-7 minutes
Erythrocyte count Male: 4.3-5.9 million/mm3
Female: 3.5-5.5 million mm3
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Westergren) Male: 0-15 mm/h
Female: 0-20 mm/h
Hematocrit Male: 41%-53%
Female: 36%-46%
Hemoglobin A1c ≤ 6 %
Hemoglobin, blood Male: 13.5-17.5 g/dL
Female: 12.0-16.0 g/dL
Hemoglobin, plasma 1-4 mg/dL
Leukocyte count and differential  
Leukocyte count 4,500-11,000/mm3
Segmented neutrophils 54%-62%
Bands 3%-5%
Eosinophils 1%-3%
Basophils 0%-0.75%
Lymphocytes 25%-33%
Monocytes 3%-7%
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 25.4-34.6 pg/cell
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 31%-36% Hb/cell
Mean corpuscular volume 80-100 μm3
Partial thromboplastin time (activated) 25-40 seconds
Platelet count 150,000-400,000/mm3
Prothrombin time 11-15 seconds
Reticulocyte count 0.5%-1.5% of red cells
Thrombin time < 2 seconds deviation from control
Volume  
Plasma Male: 25-43 mL/kg
Female: 28-45 mL/kg
Red cell Male: 20-36 mL/kg
Female: 19-31 mL/kg
Cerebrospinal Fluid Reference Range
Cell count 0-5/mm3
Chloride 118-132 mEq/L
Gamma globulin 3%-12% total proteins
Glucose 40-70 mg/dL
Pressure 70-180 mm H2O
Proteins, total < 40 mg/dL
Sweat Reference Range
Chloride 0-35 mmol/L
Urine  
Calcium 100-300 mg/24 h
Chloride Varies with intake
Creatinine clearance Male: 97-137 mL/min
Female: 88-128 mL/min
Estriol, total (in pregnancy)  
30 wks 6-18 mg/24 h
35 wks 9-28 mg/24 h
40 wks 13-42 mg/24 h
17-Hydroxycorticosteroids Male: 3.0-10.0 mg/24 h
Female: 2.0-8.0 mg/24 h
17-Ketosteroids, total Male: 8-20 mg/24 h
Female: 6-15 mg/24 h
Osmolality 50-1400 mOsmol/kg H2O
Oxalate 8-40 μg/mL
Potassium Varies with diet
Proteins, total < 150 mg/24 h
Sodium Varies with diet
Uric acid Varies with diet
Body Mass Index (BMI) Adult: 19-25 kg/m2
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(M1.EC.75) A 54-year-old male presents to his primary care physician with complaints of severe diarrhea, flushing of the face, and several incidents of trouble breathing over the past week. A CT scan (Figure A) is obtained and shows a primary tumor in the small bowel (blue arrow) as well as metastasis to the liver (yellow arrow). The patient is referred to a surgeon for further management. The surgeon schedules a date to attempt surgical removal of all tumor tissue. The surgeon also decides to start the patient on a medication to control symptoms prior to surgery. Which of the following medications is the best choice for the management of this patient's symptoms? Review Topic

QID: 106744
FIGURES:
1

Propranolol

4%

(5/125)

2

Phenoxybenzamine

16%

(20/125)

3

Octreotide

70%

(88/125)

4

Propylthiouracil

4%

(5/125)

5

Sumatriptan

4%

(5/125)

M1

Select Answer to see Preferred Response

PREFERRED RESPONSE 3

(M1.EC.129) A 58-year-old female presents to her primary care physician with a 1-month history of facial and chest flushing, as well as intermittent diarrhea and occasional difficulty breathing. On physical exam, a new-onset systolic ejection murmur is auscultated and is loudest at the left second intercostal space. Subsequent echocardiography reveals leaflet thickening secondary to fibrous plaque deposition on both the pulmonic and tricuspid valves. Which of the following laboratory abnormalities would most likely in this patient? Review Topic

QID: 100645
1

Decreased serum chromogranin A

33%

(3/9)

2

Elevated serum bicarbonate

0%

(0/9)

3

Elevated urinary vanillylmandelic acid

33%

(3/9)

4

Elevated serum potassium

0%

(0/9)

5

Elevated urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid

33%

(3/9)

M1

Select Answer to see Preferred Response

PREFERRED RESPONSE 5
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