Endobronchial Carcinoid Tumor Totally Occluding the Left Main Bronchus Without Producing Symptoms of Bronchial Obstruction

Background Bronchial carcinoid tumors (BCTs) are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms of the lung that mainly have a central distribution. They are classified as typical and atypical, with the former variant generally conferring a more favorable survival. Central tumors are usually symptomatic with features of bronchial obstruction, whereas peripheral tumors may remain silent. Case report A 36-year-old woman presented to our hospital due to an episode of massive hemoptysis 5 days prior to admission. She had experienced another episode of hemoptysis 4 years before, for which a chest x-ray had shown no pathological findings. A new chest x-ray showed complete collapse of the left lung, with remarkable tracheal deviation. Computed tomography revealed a large endobronchial lesion causing occlusion of the left main bronchus and significant mediastinal shift to the left. Despite the collapse of the left lung, no symptoms of bronchial obstruction were evident. The patient underwent a successful left pneumonectomy and pathology of the resected specimen revealed a typical stage pT2b N1 Mx endobronchial carcinoid tumor. Conclusion Central tumors are usually symptomatic with features of bronchial obstruction, whereas peripheral tumors may remain silent. Although a significant amount of bronchial occlusion may be present, symptoms of obstruction might not be apparent. Hemoptysis should always be thoroughly investigated, as it may be the only sign of a severe underlying disease.