The clinical pathological features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of small intestine primary malignant tumors

Symptoms Contributing to the Diagnosis of Small Bowel Tumors

INTRODUCTION

Small bowel tumors (SBTs) are difficult to diagnose because of limited opportunities and technical difficulties in evaluating the small bowel. Asymptomatic conditions or nonspecific symptoms make SBT diagnosis more challenging. In Asia, SBTs are reported to be more frequently malignant lymphoma (ML), adenocarcinoma, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). In this study, we examined 66 patients diagnosed with SBTs and determined their clinical characteristics.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted from January 2013 to July 2020 at Kurume University Hospital. The modalities used to detect SBTs were computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography. Endoscopy was also performed in some cases to confirm SBT diagnosis. The study included 66 patients. The medical data collected included presenting symptoms, tumor location, underlying condition, diagnostic modalities, pathologic diagnosis, and treatment.

RESULTS

ML and adenocarcinoma were the most common tumors (22.7%), followed by GIST (21.2%) and metastatic SBT (18.2%). Symptoms that led to SBT detection were abdominal pain (44.5%), asymptomatic conditions (28.8%), hematochezia (12.1%), and anemia (10.6%). CT was the most used modality to detect SBTs. Nineteen patients were asymptomatic, and SBTs were incidentally detected in them. GISTs and benign tumors were more often asymptomatic than other malignant tumors.

CONCLUSION

Abdominal pain was the main symptom for SBTs in particular adenocarcinoma, ML, and metastatic SBT. In addition, GIST, which was highly prevalent in Asia, had fewer symptoms. An understanding of these characteristics may be helpful in the clinical practice of SBTs.

Triple Intussusception in an Adult-A Rare Presentation of Adenocarcinoma Ileum

Intestinal intussusception is uncommon in adults. It occurs more often in the small intestine than in the colon. In adults, when small bowel intussusception occurs, it can be due to a malignant lead point. Malignant etiology is most frequently due to diffuse metastatic disease. We present a rare case of an 18-year-old woman who was diagnosed with jejunojejunal, jejunoileal, and colocolic intussusceptions. She presented with vomiting, abdominal pain, and passage of semisolid stools for 5 days. During emergency exploratory laparotomy, multiple polyps were found in the jejunum, ileum, and sigmoid. Jejunotomy and sigmoidotomy were done to remove the respective polyps. The ileal polyp showed hemorrhagic changes; hence, an intraoperative decision was taken to proceed with resection and anastomosis. On histopathological examination, the resected ileal part showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (grade 2) arising from an adenomatous polyp, while the jejunal polyp and sigmoid polyp were adenomatous polyps with low-grade dysplasia. Patient received six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CAPEOX regimen). After 2 years, she is symptom free with a normal colonoscopy. The treatment of intussusception in adults typically involves surgery, often with bowel resection as there is always a pathologic leading cause which may be malignant, like in our case.

The risk of small bowel adenocarcinoma in patients with Crohn's disease

Introduction

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is an unusual complication of Crohn’s disease (CD).

Aim

To describe the incidence rate, clinical features, and outcomes of SBA in a group of subsequent patients with CD.

Material and methods

We retrospectively analysed outpatient and hospital records and identified a group of patients with diagnosed CD. Then we reviewed all medical records of patients who reported for follow-up visits in a 14-year period. We identified a group of 103 patients, whose medical records were evaluated for the presence of SBA.

Results

Long-term follow-up carried out in the group of consecutively treated patients with CD revealed an 0.97% incidence rate of SBA. Cancer was located in the ileum and the clinical presentation was subileus and anaemia. The patient underwent ileocaecal resection, and the postoperative period was uneventful.

Conclusions

SBA is a rare complication of CD. Although the authors are aware that the number of patients enrolled in the study is insufficient to draw far-reaching conclusions, the results obtained are significant for determination of the incidence rate of SBA in the Caucasian population of patients with CD. The key issue of effective treatment of patients with SBA was early detection of the lesion and R0 resection with proper lymphadenectomy. However, it is worth noting that in more advanced stages of SBA the future belongs to, and outcome improvement depends on, new regimes of adjuvant personalised chemotherapies. Further studies on the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in patients with CD are essential.

Clinicopathological Features of Small Bowel Tumors Diagnosed by Video Capsule Endoscopy and Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy: A Single Center Experience

Background/Aims

Small bowel malignancies often present a diagnostic challenge due to their relative rarity and nonspecific clinical symptoms. However, technical developments in endoscopic instruments, including video capsule endoscopy (VCE) and enteroscopy, have allowed for the visualization of the entire small bowel. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features of small bowel malignant tumors diagnosed by VCE and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) in a single tertiary center.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed VCE and DBE findings from Korea University Guro Hospital from January 2010 through September 2018.

Results

A total of 510 VCE and 126 DBE examinations were performed in 438 patients. Small bowel malignancies were diagnosed in 28 patients (15 males; mean age, 61.0 years; range, 42 to 81 years). Among them, 8 had lymphoma, 8 had primary adenocarcinoma, 7 had gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and 5 had metastatic cancer. Abdominal pain and obstructive symptoms were the most common findings in metastatic cancers (4/5, 80%). On the other hand, obscure gastrointestinal bleeding was the most common symptom of GIST (6/7, 85.7%) and adenocarcinoma (3/8, 37.5%).

Conclusions

Approximately 6% of the patients who underwent either VCE or DBE were diagnosed with small bowel malignancy. These findings demonstrated the different clinical characteristics among small bowel malignancies and merit further study.

Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes in patients with non-ampullary small bowel adenocarcinoma: Long-term analysis

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a relatively rare malignancy in gastrointestinal tumors. In addition, the difficulty of early diagnosis, its poor prognosis compared to large bowel adenocarcinoma, and inadequate treatment experiences due to lack of prospective randomized trials make it necessary to explore the characteristics of the disease for early diagnosis and treatment.Patients diagnosed with primary malignant tumor of small intestine in West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2001 and 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 208 patients with SBA were selected and 160 patients with duodenal periampullary tumor were excluded. Forty-two cases of patients were finally enrolled for statistical analysis as 6 patients were lost of follow-up. The clinical characteristics, the response to treatment and their overall survival (OS) time were reviewed and analyzed.Of the 42 patients, 11 (26.2%) primary tumors were originated from duodenum, 29 (69.0%) from jejunum, and 2 (4.8%) from ileum. All patients (64.3% male; median age, 54.7 years) included in this study underwent primary resection of the tumor to confirm final diagnosis. Three-year survival rate is 21% and 5-year survival rate is 9%. Median OS were 24.2 months (95% CI: 4.0-72.0). The univariate predictors for prognosis of SBA were as follows: age (P = .021), severe intestinal symptoms at first diagnosis (P < .001), T4 of tumor stage (P = .011), tumor size (P = .004), relatively late clinical stage (P < .001), peritoneal metastasis (P < .001), and no chemotherapy (P = .011). The multivariate predictors for poor prognosis were age of more than 60 years old (P = .035), intestinal obstruction or perforation at first diagnosis (P = .026), relatively late clinical stage (P = .000), and no chemotherapy (P = .027).SBA was a relatively rare malignancy that was difficult for early diagnosis and treatment. Intestinal obstruction was the common clinical manifestation at first diagnosis, with a tendency of early peritoneal metastasis. Precaution of the disease in early phase, radical resection of the primary tumor while resectable, followed with in-time chemotherapy might improve prognosis and survival of patients with SBA.

Meta-analysis of postoperative adjuvant therapy for small bowel adenocarcinoma

Objective

The role of adjuvant therapy in small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA), a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis, is controversial. The purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of adjuvant therapy on the survival of patients with SBA in a meta-analysis.

Methods

We performed a comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library database between 2010 and 2017. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to assess the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment after curative surgery in patients with SBA. Moreover, impact of age, sex, stage, differentiation, lymph node involvement, and margin status was also evaluated.

Results

We included 15 studies to evaluate the effect of adjuvant therapy on the survival of patients with SBA. The pooled HR of overall survival (OS) involving 5986 patients showed that adjuvant therapy did not have a statistically significant effect on the survival of patients with SBA (pooled HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.73–1.09, p = 0.25). Further, 607 patients with duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA) had similar results (pooled HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.75–1.23, p = 0.77). Similarly, adjuvant treatment vs. non-adjuvant treatment in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) or relapse-free survival (RFS) showed the same results (pooled HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.64–1.23, p = 0.48). However, we found that adjuvant therapy resulted in favorable postoperative survival in Europe according to the subgroup analysis (pooled HR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.5–0.8, p = 0.0002). In addition, the pooled HR shows that stage, differentiation, lymph node involvement, and margin status were related to the OS of patients with SBA.

Conclusion

Patients with SBA who received adjuvant therapy after surgery did not receive a significant survival benefit. Adjuvant therapy may be more useful in advanced cancer or metastatic patients.

Pattern and risk factors for distant metastases in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine neoplasms: a population-based study

An increased incidence of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine neoplasms (GI‐NENs) has been reported worldwide, and metastasis is the leading cause of GI‐NEN‐related death. Studies of different metastatic patterns in patients with different primary sites are limited. A population‐based retrospective cohort study was conducted with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients with a GI‐NEN diagnosis between 2010 and 2014 were included. All statistical analyses were performed using Intercooled Stata 12.0 software. There were 12,501 patients eligible for analysis. The metastatic status, primary sites, and histology types affected the patients’ overall survival. The liver was the most common metastasis site (65.21% of patients with metastases). Esophageal NENs had the highest risk of metastasis (49.35%), whereas appendiceal NENs had the lowest risk of metastasis (2.79%). Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) were more likely to develop metastatic disease than were neuroendocrine tumors (NETs); 7.12% of patients with NET and 30.20% of patients with NEC developed metastatic disease. The metastatic patterns varied according to the different primary sites and histology types. NECs had a higher potential to develop extrahepatic metastasis at all primary sites than did NETs. Regarding the choice of treatment, surgical resection of primary lesions lowered the risk of tumor‐specific death (HR = 0.37, CI: 0.30–0.46, P < 0.01), but surgical resection of metastatic sites did not confer an extra survival benefit (HR = 0.82, CI: 0.63–1.06, P = 0.14). Different primary sites and histology types of GI‐NENs have different metastatic patterns and survival. This knowledge could help clinicians to identify patients who require extra surveillance, provide insight for future studies on the mechanisms of metastasis, and establish a prognostic prediction model.

Primary small bowel adenocarcinoma: current view on clinical features, risk and prognostic factors, treatment and outcome

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare but increasing cause of gastrointestinal malignancy, being both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The goal of treatment is margin negative resection of a lesion and local lymphadenectomy, followed by modern adjuvant chemotherapy combinations in selected cases. Improved outcomes in patients with SBA are encouraging, but elucidation of mechanisms of carcinogenesis and risk factors as well as improved treatment for this malignancy is very needed.

Adult jejunojejunal intussusception in the face of jejunal adenocarcinoma: two infrequently encountered entities

Adult intussusception and small bowel adenocarcinoma are rarely encountered together. Intussusception should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adult patients presenting with abdominal pain, especially those with unremitting symptoms. Concomitant anaemia should lower the threshold for suspicion of underlying malignancy. Jejunal adenocarcinoma represents a rare, but possible aetiology.

Intraluminal superior vena cava metastasis from adenosquamous carcinoma of the duodenum: A case report

In 2013, a 76-year-old male with a cardiac pacemaker was diagnosed with adenosquamous carcinoma of the duodenum. Subsequently, a pancreatoduodenectomy and lymph node dissection were performed, and 12 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (modified FOLFOX6 regimen), which consisted of fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin, were administered via a central venous catheter. At 5 months after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy, the patient experienced the sudden onset of severe pain at the back right of the ear, edema of the right side of the face and right jugular vein dilatation. Computed tomography (CT) revealed filling defects in the superior vena cava (SVC) and right brachiocephalic vein, indicating catheter-induced venous thrombosis. Although the catheter was removed and anti-coagulation therapy, aspiration of the thrombosis and ballooning dilatation were performed immediately, the patient's symptoms were not ameliorated. Notably, histological examination following thrombus aspiration revealed metastatic cancer cells, and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/CT identified metabolically active nodules in the SVC at locations consistent with the initial duodenal tumors detected by CT and in the first thoracic vertebrae. The tumor thrombus rapidly increased in size and resulted in worsening dyspnea. Subsequently, radiotherapy was performed, followed by chemotherapy, which relieved the systemic symptoms and suppressed the tumor growth. Adenosquamous carcinoma of the duodenum is extremely rare, and to the best of our knowledge, intraluminal SVC metastasis as a result of adenosquamous carcinoma of the duodenum has not been reported previously. The placement of a cardiac pacemaker, central venous catheter and tumor cells possessing high metastatic potential are hypothesized to have contributed to this rare case of metastasis.

Characteristics of Small Intestinal Diseases on Single-Balloon Enteroscopy: A Single-Center Study Conducted Over 6 Years in China

The small intestine has been considered inaccessible for a long term. The development of single-balloon endoscopy has greatly improved the diagnosis and treatment possibilities for small intestinal diseases.In this study, we aimed to explore the demographic characteristics and small intestinal diseases of patients who underwent single-balloon enteroscopy between 2009 and 2014 at our endoscopy center. We determined the enteroscopic findings for each small intestinal disease and the most susceptible age groups.In total, 186 patients were included in the study. Their mean age was 45.87 ± 15.77 years. Patients who underwent single-balloon enteroscopy were found to have neoplasms (most common age group: 14-45 years, most common lesion location: jejunum), lymphoma (46-59 and 60-74 years, ileum), protuberant lesions (45-59 years, jejunum), inflammation (14-45 and 46-59 years, ileum), benign ulcers (14-45 years, jejunum), diverticulum (14-45 years, ileum), vascular malformations (60-74 years, jejunum), polyps (14-45 years, jejunum), Crohn's disease (14-45 years, jejunum), hookworm infection (14-45 years, jejunum), lipid pigmentation (14-45 and 46-59 years, jejunum), undetermined bleeding (46-59 years, ileum), or undetermined stenosis (31 years, duodenum). Each small intestinal disease had distinct enteroscopic findings.

Role of double-balloon enteroscopy in malignant small bowel tumors

AIM: To assess the double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) role in malignant small bowel tumors (MSBT).

METHODS: This is a retrospective descriptive study performed in a single center. All consecutive patients who underwent a DBE with final diagnosis of a malignant neoplasm from 2004 to 2014 in our referral center were included. Patient demographic and clinical pathological characteristics were recorded and reviewed. MSBT diagnosis was achieved either by DBE directed biopsy with multiple tissue sampling, endoscopic findings or histological analysis of surgical specimen. We have analyzed double-balloon enteroscopy impact in outcome and clinical course of these patients.

RESULTS: Of 627 patients, 28 (4.5%) (mean age = 60 ± 17.3 years) underwent 30 procedures (25 anterograde, 5 retrograde) and were diagnosed of a malignant tumor. Patients presented with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 19, 67.9%), occlusion syndrome (n = 7, 25%) and diarrhea (n = 1, 3.6%). They were diagnosed by DBE biopsy (n = 18, 64.3%), histological analysis of surgical specimen (n = 7, 25%) and unequivocal endoscopic findings (n = 2, 7.1%). Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (n = 8, 28.6%), adenocarcinoma (n = 7, 25%), lymphoma (n = 4, 14.3%), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 4, 14.3%), metastatic (n = 3, 10.7%) and Kaposi sarcoma (n = 1, 3.6%) were identified. DBE modified outcome in 7 cases (25%), delaying or avoiding emergency surgery (n = 3), modifying surgery approach (n = 2) and indicating emergency SB partial resection instead of elective approach (n = 2).

CONCLUSION: DBE may be critical in the management of MSBT providing additional information that may be decisive in the clinical course of these patients.

Adenocarcinoma of the ileum: A rare and challenging entity

Introduction

Primary small bowel malignancy is unusual and accounts for 1–3% of all gastrointestinal tract neoplasms. Adenocarcinoma is one of the most common histologic types, but its frequency decreases with more distal locations. Its clinical presentation is nonspecific and is usually associated with advanced disease, which contributes to delayed diagnosis.

Presentation of case

A 66-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with a 6-day history of progressively worsening abdominal pain localized in the right lower quadrant, nausea, and vomiting. Investigation revealed an inflammatory appendiceal tumor. The patient underwent surgery and an unexpected tumor involving the distal ileal segment and ileocecal appendix was found. Right radical hemicolectomy with en bloc resection of the distal ileum was performed. Histopathological examination revealed adenocarcinoma of the ileum.

Discussion

This rare entity is associated with a nonspecific clinical presentation that contributes to delayed diagnosis and treatment, and consequently to a worse prognosis. Approximately half of the cases are only diagnosed at surgery. Primary treatment consists of wide resection with locoregional lymphadenectomy. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy has yet to be determined.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates an unusual condition characterized by late and challenging diagnosis. We highlight the importance of an earlier diagnosis and optimal treatment for improved patient outcomes.

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Small bowel adenocarcinoma is a rare tumor with a late and challenging diagnosis.

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Primary treatment consists in wide resection with locoregional lymphadenectomy.

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The role of adjuvant chemotherapy has yet to be determined.

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It is crucial an earlier diagnosis and optimal treatment to improve the outcome.

Small intestine and ovarian metastasis in a patient with a history of cardiac fibrosacoma

Metastatic tumors involving the small bowel are much more common than primary neoplasms. The most common metastases to the small intestine are those arising from other intra-abdominal organs. Metastases from extra-abdominal tumors are rare but may be found in patients with adenocarcinoma of the breast and carcinoma of the lung. Cutaneous melanoma is the most common extra-abdominal source involving the small intestine, with involvement of the small intestine noted in more than half of the patients dying from malignant melanoma [1]. While intestinal metastasis from sarcoma has been described, this is an extremely rare occurrence especially from a rare malignant sarcoma of cardiac origin. The dismal prognosis of cardiac sarcomas results from extensive local invasion at presentation or distant metastasis. Metastasis to the small bowel may cause obstruction, bleeding, or intussusception in which the diagnosis may be delayed because of rarity of the condition and mild and vague abdominal symptoms at early presentation. In this report, a 35 year old woman a known case of cardiac fibrosarcoma was admitted to the emergency ward with abdominal pain and distention, bloody diarrhea, and recurrent nausea and vomiting. Jejuno-jejunal invagination was diagnosed at laparotomy along with tumoral involvement of the left ovary. Histopathological study showed that there was a fibrosarcoma compatible with the earlier diagnosis of primary cardiac tumor. We have described some aspects of diagnosis and treatment of this rare cause of intestinal intussusception.