Synchronous, Bilateral, Peripheral, Typical Pulmonary Carcinoid Tumors: Report of a Case and Implications for Management

We report an exceptionally rare case of synchronous, bilateral, peripheral, small-sized typical pulmonary carcinoid tumors. A 68-year-old man presented with three, bilateral, pulmonary nodules. These nodules were suspected to be inflammatory changes or tumor metastases; however, preoperative examinations indicated neither primary lesion nor lymphadenopathy. Wedge resection was performed for the right nodule that had grown gradually over 9 months. The diagnosis was a typical carcinoid without vascular or lymphatic infiltration. After 17 months, one of the left lung tumors had grown slightly, and wedge resection was performed. Histopathological examination revealed findings identical to those of the right tumor. Since the optimal extent of resection for typical carcinoid tumors has not yet been established, especially for cases of small-sized tumors in the periphery of the lung, we discuss the treatment strategy for these tumors.