Atypical carcinoid tumor of the lung: a case report and discussion of the literature

Carcinoid tumors comprise 1% to 2% of all tumors of the lung. Although carcinoid tumors are generally felt to be of low grade malignancy, an atypical variant exists that exhibits more virulent behavior and a less favorable prognosis. The treatment of carcinoid tumors is complete surgical removal and a more aggressive approach is required in the treatment of atypical carcinoids. A case is presented with a review of the literature.