Introduction/Background Ovarian carcinoid tumors are rare neoplasms that account for 0.8–1.2% of all ovarian cancer. In 15% of cases there is a mature teratoma on the contralateral ovary. Suspicion prior to surgery is rare, since its clinical presentation does not differ from other types of ovarian cancer unless there is carcinoid syndrome. Accurate diagnosis is difficult and needs for immunohistochemistry. Treatment is based on surgical resection, since the role of chemotherapy remains unclear. Their prognosis is excellent when diagnosed at early- stage, but long- term surveillance is necessary since late recurrence is possible.

Methodology Five patients diagnosed of ovarian carcinoid at Hospital Santa Cristina in Madrid, Spain are included. Four patients were diagnosed of primary ovarian carcinoid tumor and one patient was diagnosed of ovarian metastases of an appendicular carcinoid tumor.

Results 2 patients were premenopausal and presented unilateral mass suspicious of teratoma, so they underwent unilateral adnexectomy, with postoperative diagnosis of ovarian carcinoid tumor stage IA. Long-term follow- up evidenced contralateral cyst > 10 years after treatment, so both patients required adnexectomy, with no presence of disease recurrence. 2 patients were postmenopausal. The first had an ovarian mass that suggested teratoma, so she underwent bilateral adnexectomy plus hysterectomy; postoperatively she presented heart carcinoid syndrome, and required surgical correction. The second patient had suspicion for peritoneal carcinomatosis, so she underwent complete cytoreductive surgery. Both were stage IA. The fifth patient had an ovarian recurrence of an appendicular carcinoid. All patients diagnosed of primary ovarian carcinoid were free of disease when data were collected.

Conclusion Ovarian carcinoids represent a rare entity that requires surgery and is often diagnosed postoperatively. Prognosis is excellent when diagnosed at early- stage, but survival is low if carcinoid tumor is advanced- stage or metastases from a non-ovarian origin. Late relapses are possible.