[Sarcomas of the small intestine]

Presse Med. 2005 Mar 12;34(5):385-90. doi: 10.1016/s0755-4982(05)83928-4.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Sarcomas of the small intestine are rare, clearly differentiated, malignant, mesenchymatous tumours that can be of smooth muscle, Schwann cell or fibroblastic origin. From a clinical point of view, the pain and abdominal mass are the 2 types of symptoms that frequently reveal the disease. In rare cases, sarcomas of the small intestine are manifested by an acute complication. No imaging method can clearly confirm the diagnosis. Before immunohistochemistry, differential diagnosis was made on undifferentiated mesenchymatous "stromal" tumours, which are also rare. Exeresis must be complete and without perforation of the tumour because of the risk of locoregional relapse. The benefits provided by chemotherapy and radiotherapy are limited because of the low mitotic activity of the tumour cells and its weak vascularisation. Long-term survival is limited by poor prognosis criteria: high grade malignancy, size greater than 5 cm, tumour extension, perforation of the tumour, quality of surgical resection and histological type.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Prognosis
  • Sarcoma / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoma / epidemiology
  • Sarcoma / therapy*