title: [Linitis plastica].
abstract: Linitis plastica accounts for 3-19% of gastric cancers. Its diagnosis requires morphology findings of an infiltrating stomach tumor and pathology findings including signet-ring cells and fibrous stroma. Its etiology is not known, and it has no particular features. Diagnostic sensitivity of endoscopy is poor because of the difficulty of biopsies: "Forceps slide on the infiltrated walls." Its characteristic radiologic appearance is due to the infiltration and stiffness that causes it to be known as "leather-bottle stomach". Endosonography is currently the reference examination and has made it possible to identify localized linitis. Unlike other stomach cancers, it frequently extends into the peritoneum and lymphatic system. Curative treatment remains radical surgical resection. Modern chemotherapy protocols based on oral derivatives of 5-FU (TS-1) and of paclitaxel appear promising. The severity of its prognosis is explained by the frequency of peritoneal dissemination, lymphatic invasion and extension toward neighboring organs.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie générale, EPS Habib Bourguiba, 3029 Sfax, Tunisie. beyroutimi@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Issam Beyrouti
authors.forename: Ramez
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beyrouti
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Amar
authors.forename: Foued
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frikha
authors.forename: Rahma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beyrouti
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.forename: Salah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boujelben
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008039:Linitis Plastica / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis