鼓膜原発と考えられた中耳カルチノイドの1例

Middle ear carcinoid from the eardrum

はじめに

　神経内分泌腫瘍（neuroendocrine tumor：NET）は，神経内分泌細胞に由来する腫瘍で，膵臓のほか下垂体，甲状腺，上皮小体，副腎，消化管，胸腺，肺など，内分泌臓器のみではなく多様な臓器に生じる。これらの腫瘍は当初カルチノイドと名づけられ良性腫瘍と考えられてきたが，その後，転移をきたす症例も多数報告され，現在では悪性腫瘍と認識されている^1）。今回，われわれは鼓膜から発生したと思われるNET症例を経験したため報告する。

　Neuroendocrine tumors are tumors derived from neuroendocrine cells. They occur not only in the pancreas, but also in various other organs, such as the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, epithelial gland, adrenal gland, digestive tract, thymus, and the lungs. These tumors were initially named as carcinoids and were considered to be benign. However, many cases of metastasis have been reported since then, and they are now recognized as malignant tumors. Here, we report a case of a neuroendocrine tumor that appears to have originated from the eardrum.