[Primary adenocarcinoma of the small intestine].
Three patients, a woman aged 46 years and two men aged 81 and 62 years, presented with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and/or weight loss. A small intestine follow-through series revealed a significant stenosis in all 3 patients. A laparotomic partial resection of the affected jejunum and corresponding mesentery was performed. A primary adenocarcinoma of the small intestine was diagnosed; pathology revealed that the resections were radical, and pT3N0, pT2N0 and pT3N0 stage tumours respectively. The first patient underwent a repeat operation four months later due to similar complaints caused by a tumour recurrence; fifteen months later she died from recurrent disease. The second patient was disease-free 3 years after surgery. In the third patient, liver and peritoneal metastases developed 16 months after surgery; he died 10 months after palliative chemotherapy had been initiated. Adenocarcinoma of the small intestine is a rare disease and patients often present late with aspecific complaints. This, combined with the fact that these tumours tend to follow an aggressive course, results in a poor five-year survival rate of 10-35%. Surgery is the only curative treatment currently available. A greater awareness of this type of tumour is needed for treatment results to improve.
van Lieshout
A P
AP
Academisch Medisch Centrum/Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Afd., Heelkunde.
van Hillegersberg
R
R
Richel
D J
DJ
van Slooten
H J
HJ
van Lanschot
J J
JJ
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015431:Weight Loss