Summary

A 22-year-old female patient presented with rapid weight loss and an abdominal mass of 6 months duration. No other symptoms were noted. Liver function tests and α-fetoprotein were normal. Initial abdominal CT scan showed a large hepatic mass occupying both lobes of the liver, which was diagnosed as carcinoid tumour by liver biopsy. Workups to search for a primary lesion in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas by oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy and holoabdominal triphasic CT scan with triple contrast failed to reveal the presence of a primary tumour. Subcentimetre pulmonary nodules, believed to be metastatic, were detected on chest CT scan. Bone scan showed no evident bone metastasis. Because of the non-resectability of the tumour, transarterial chemoembolisation was offered as an alternative to treatment, however, the patient opted for palliative care. She succumbed to respiratory failure 6 months after diagnosis.