title: Mesenteric fibromatosis mimicking a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.
abstract: Mesenteric fibromatosis is a locally aggressive tumor of the mesentery with a high propensity for bowel involvement. Mesenteric fibromatosis often mimics gastrointestinal stromal tumors in size, location and immunohistochemical features. We report the case of a 30-year-old male who underwent resection of a mesenteric tumor, initially diagnosed as gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The tumor was categorized as high-risk and the patient was treated with chemotherapy. Two years later the patient was found to have a mass in the mesentery and restarted on chemotherapy. The tumor did not respond to medical management. The patient underwent a second en bloc resection and pathology results were conclusive for mesenteric fibromatosis. This case highlights the significance of accurately differentiating mesenteric fibromatosis from gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Making a concrete diagnosis is often difficult because both gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mesenteric fibromatosis share a number of morphological and immunohistochemical features including CKIT expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Danbury Hospital, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: Kilak
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kesha
authors.forename: Shawn L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tittle
authors.forename: Pierre F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Saldinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D018221:Fibromatosis, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents