Adenocarcinoma of the small bowel: changes in the landscape?:

Jejunal adenocarcinoma; a case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Small bowel carcinoma (SBC) is a rare malignancy comprising mainly of adenocarcinoma and carcinoid tumors. Among SBCs, small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) accounts for 30-40 % and is predominantly found in the duodenum, while jejunal and ileal presence considered rare.

CASE PRESENTATION

We have presented a case of jejunal adenocarcinoma in a patient with obstruction symptoms. Prior to the obstruction, the patient mainly suffered from weakness and weight loss, in addition to iron deficiency anemia. During the investigation of underlying causes, we observed evidence of mass. However, before any additional evaluation could take place, the obstruction necessitated surgical intervention.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Small bowel adenocarcinomas, particularly in the jejunum and ileum, are exceedingly rare and often present with complications such as obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, or perforation. Due to the non-specific symptoms, SBAs are challenging to diagnose before complications occur. SBAs are frequently diagnosed at advanced stages, so early diagnosis is crucial, as it can significantly impact patient survival. Thus, efforts should be made to expedite the diagnosis process to avoid complications and improve survival rates.

CONCLUSION

SBAs are a rare condition, often diagnosed by related complications. Recognizing the importance of early diagnosis and its positive influence on patient survival, physicians and surgeons should consider SBA in patients presenting with relevant symptoms or cases of obstruction.

Anti-EGFR Therapy in Metastatic Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma: Myth or Reality?

Background:

Due to the relative rarity of small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA), prospective trials, helping to guide therapeutic decisions, are lacking and the optimal therapy for advanced SBA is unknown. The role of targeted agents, such as anti–epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is unknown.

Patients and Methods:

This is a retrospective multicenter observational study that included patients with metastatic SBA treated with anti-EGFR antibodies (cetuximab or panitumumab) ± chemotherapy in the first (I) or second (II) line.

Results:

Thirteen patients with metastatic SBA, recruited from 5 Italian referral institutions, were included in the present retrospective analysis. All patients received anti-EGFR inhibitors as a single agent or in association with chemotherapy. More common G2 treatment–related side effects were skin reaction (8 patients, 53.8%), hypomagnesemia (6 patients, 46.2%), and diarrhea (8 patients, 61.5%). Grade 3 diarrhea was observed in only 1 patient. Conjunctivitis was not reported in any patients. Grade 4 toxicity was not reported. In the overall population, median progression-free survival was 5.526 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.684-12.467). Median overall survival was 15.86 months (95% CI: 14.43-24.30). Complete response was observed in 15% of patients, partial response in 39% of patients, stable disease in 23% of patients, and progression disease in 15% of patients.

Conclusions:

In this retrospective analysis, anti-EGFR inhibitors showed to be a suitable addendum to chemotherapy in the I and II line, with an excellent tolerance and safety profile both in I and II line.

Adenocarcinoma in a Blind Loop of the Ileum 53 Years After an Ileotransversostomy Procedure

BACKGROUND Primary small bowel cancer is a rare malignancy; the common histopathological types are carcinoid and adenocarcinoma. Inflammatory bowel diseases and familial adenomatous polyposis are known risk factors for small bowel cancer. Additionally, cases of surgery-induced small bowel adenocarcinoma are sometimes reported after ileostomy. CASE REPORT A 84-year-old woman, who had undergone ileotransversostomy for intestinal obstruction due to postoperative adhesion following appendectomy at the age of 31 years, was referred to our hospital for further examination after experiencing abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant for 2 weeks. Laboratory data showed elevated serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, 102.9 ng/ml) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9, 104 U/ml). Enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a 10-cm mass in the terminal ileum and a distention of the ileum and colon in the blind loop, with retention of feces. The patient was suspected of having ileal cancer by preoperative examination; therefore, right hemicolectomy with en bloc resection was performed. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as a well-differentiated and mucinous adenocarcinoma of the ileum. At over 12 months after surgery, tumor recurrence had not been observed. CONCLUSIONS Difficulties in diagnosis can cause delays in treatment and lead to poor prognosis, mainly because tumors in the small bowel rarely cause clinical symptoms. Adenocarcinoma of the ileum should be considered in postoperative patients with ileotransversostomy.

Small bowel adenocarcinoma of the jejunum: a case report and literature review

Background

In practice, small bowel cancer is a rare entity. The most common histologic subtype is adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma of the small bowel (SBA) is challenging to diagnose, often presents at a late stage and has a poor prognosis. The treatment of early-stage SBA is surgical resection. No standard protocol has been established for unresectable or metastatic disease.

Case presentation

We report here on a 26-year-old man with SBA in the jejunum, lacking specific symptoms and with a delay of 6 months in diagnosis. The diagnosis was finally achieved with a combination of balloon-assisted enteroscopy, computed tomography scans, positron emission computed tomography scans and the values of carcino-embryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9. The patient underwent segmental intestine with lymph node resection, followed by eight cycles of FOLFOX palliative chemotherapy with good tolerance. As of the 11-month postoperative follow-up, there has been no evidence of recurrent disease.

Conclusions

This case is reported to arouse a clinical suspicion of SBA in patients with abdominal pain of unknown cause. We also provided evidence in this case of a response to palliative chemotherapy with FOLFOX. Because the incidence of SBA is very low, there is a need for further studies to evaluate the possible application of newer investigative agents and strategies to obtain a better outcome within the framework of international collaborations.

[Adenocarcinoma of small bowel. An underdiagnosed disease]

BACKGROUND

Small bowel adenocarcinoma is a rare disease. The diagnosis is often disguised by nonspecific and varied presenting symptoms. Adenocarcinoma of the small bowel is typically detected at a late stage and with a poor prognosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records of 42 patients with small bowel adenocarcinomas diagnosed in 2 surgical clinics between 1995 and 2009 were reviewed for patient and tumor characteristics, treatment effects and survival.

RESULTS

The tumor locations were the duodenum (50%), jejunum (38%) and ileum (12%). In comparison to patients seen before 2004 the observed frequency of emergency operations or palliative procedures as well as stage distribution did not change. The median overall survival was 19 months with a 5-year overall survival of 20%. For patients with resections, reduced performance status, higher stage and residual disease after resection predicted decreased overall survival in univariate analysis. Residual disease and pT category were predictive of survival in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Complete resection provides the only means of a cure. In cases where curative resection cannot be performed the prognosis remains poor. Further study on the methods for early detection and effective adjuvant chemotherapy should be investigated, however, the available data are limited.

Multicenter retrospective study of 132 patients with unresectable small bowel adenocarcinoma treated with chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

No standard chemotherapy regimen has been established for unresectable or recurrent small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA).

METHODS

Clinical courses of 132 patients with unresectable or recurrent SBA who received chemotherapy at 41 institutions in Japan were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified into five groups according to first-line chemotherapy regimens: fluoropyrimidine monotherapy (group A), fluoropyrimidine-cisplatin (group B), fluoropyrimidine-oxaliplatin (group C), fluoropyrimidine-irinotecan (group D), and other regimens (group E).

RESULTS

The number of patients in each group was as follows: groups A, 60 patients; group B, 17 patients; group C, 22 patients; group D, 11 patients; and group E, 22 patients. Median progression-free survival (PFS) times were as follows: group A, 5.4 months; group B, 3.8 months; group C, 8.2 months; group D, 5.6 months; and group E, 3.4 months. Median overall survival (OS) times were as follows: group A, 13.9 months; group B, 12.6 months; group C, 22.2 months; group D, 9.4 months; and group D, 8.1 months. Patients in group C achieved significantly longer PFS times and substantially (but not significantly) longer OS times than patients in group A. After adjusting for clinical background characteristics, fluoropyrimidine-oxaliplatin therapy was a significant positive prognostic factor for PFS and OS times.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that fluoropyrimidine-oxaliplatin combination therapy is the most promising first-line chemotherapy regimen for unresectable or recurrent SBA.