Ovarian strumal carcinoid with severe constipation: Immunohistochemical and mRNA analyses of peptide YY

Functioning ovarian carcinoid tumors are well known to cause carcinoid synd rome. Recently, strumal and trabecular ovarian carcinoid tumors are reporte d to cause severe constipation possibly because of tumor-producing peptide YY (PYY), We studied a case of primary ovarian strumal carcinoid who had ha d severe constipation until the tumor was removed by surgical operation. Im munohistochemically many tumor cells were strongly positive for PYY. By Nor thern blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses, PY Y mRNA was expressed in a complete form as detected in normal human colon m ucosa, From these findings, an ovarian strumal carcinoid is strong ly sugge sted to express complete PW mRNA and therefore complete PW protein that res ults in severe constipation. HUM PATHOL 30:242-246, Copyight (C) 1999 by W. B. Saunders Company.