Malignant carcinoid arising within a mature cystic teratoma of the pelvis

Carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumors encountered most commonly in the gastrointestinal tract and bronchopulmonary tree. While carcinoids are perhaps best distinguished by their ability to cause the carcinoid syndrome through secretion of vasoactive peptides and amines, the vast majority are asymptomatic. We herein describe the case of a 68 year-old woman who presented with weight gain and local compressive symptoms from a known pelvic cystic teratoma, which was found to contain a well-differentiated malignant carcinoid at the time of surgical excision.