title: Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve sarcoma presenting as a giant intra-abdominal cyst.
abstract: Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve sarcomas are rare tumours. A 36-year-old man presented with abdominal pain, distension and constipation. Abdominal ultrasound and CT scanning demonstrated a giant cystic intra-abdominal mass. Laparotomy confirmed a large cystic mass arising from the ileum with multiple metastases. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for vimentin, neuronal-specific enolase and PGP9.5. This is the first reported case to present as a giant intra-abdominal cyst. Specialist histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis is essential to establish the diagnosis of this rare tumour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Southport District General Hospital, Southport, Merseyside, UK.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017615:Enteric Nervous System; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology