title: Challenging diagnosis of ileal gastrointestinal stromal tumor presenting with obscure digestive bleeding.
abstract: We report a case of a patient observed in emergency condition for recurrent episodes of massive obscure gastrointestinal bleeding that required surgical control. At laparotomy we found an ileal mass with the characteristics of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) at histopathological analysis. GISTs should always be considered as a possible cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, although they are often difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Laparotomy is sometimes the only way to obtain a diagnosis. Starting from this case, we reviewed the literature about GISTs, focusing our attention on their diagnosis and the possible surgical and nonsurgical therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy. degluc@inwind.it
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Degrate
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nobili
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garancini
authors.forename: Mauro Alessandro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franciosi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caprotti
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uggeri
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007078:Ileal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007813:Laparotomy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate