LARGE-CELL NEUROENDOCRINE CARCINOMA OF THE RECTUM
Neuroendocrine cancer is a rare type of gastrointestinal tumors characterized by specific clinical syndromes. The paper describes a case of large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the rectum in a woman having no clinical manifestations of the disease (carcinoid syndrome). Surgery is the only definite treatment modality in neuroendocrine cancer. Since large-cell neuroendocrine cancer is difficult to diagnose morphologically, the first diagnosis was locally advanced rectal cancer, and multimodality treatment (radio- and chemotherapy, surgery) was given to the patient. The multimodality treatment resulted in a long-term remission. The patient is under follow-up free from evidence of disease recurrence or distant metastasis for 2.5 years. Characteristic blood markers for carcinoid syndrome (serotonin and its degradation products) have been within normal.