Gastric enterochromaffin-like-cell tumor with liver and splenic metastases

We report a patient with gastric enterochromaffin-like-cell tumor with liver and splenic metastases. He was 68 years old and presented with major complaints of epigastric pain and weight loss. Under the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma with liver metastasis, total gastrectomy with splenectomy and lateral segmentectomy of the liver was performed. Intraoperative findings resulted in a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma T3N2P0H1, in stage IVa. Histological examination of the resected specimens showed a well differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (enterochromaffin-like-cell tumor) with liver and splenic metastasis which demonstrated high-grade lymphatic and vascular invasion. There was no lymph node metastasis. The tumor cells in the stomach, liver and spleen were immunoreactive for chromogranin A and Grimelius--positive. We review the literature, as well as presenting this case report.