Advanced adenocarcinoma of terminal ileum: an unusual neoplasm revealed by an unusual diagnostic tool

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Terminal ileum adenocarcinoma is a rare tumour. Its incidence or prevalence among the other sites of gastro-intestinal tract is unknown, since it has been only sporadically described. Since contrast enhanced ultrasonography has been recently used to study bowel alterations in the course of neoplastic or inflammatory disorders, we report here a case of a rare tumour (terminal ileum poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) in which the investigation played a pivotal role to obtain a defined diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS (CASE REPORT): Here we report the case of a 62 year old male patient. Due to intestinal occlusive symptoms and body weight decrease of about 8 Kg, he performed an abdominal computed tomography, intestinal magnetic resonance with double contrast medium, colonoscopy and contrast enhanced ultrasonography using a second generation medium.

RESULTS

In our case the peculiar aspect is that no arterial enhancement was observed and the finding remained unchanged for about 2.48 minutes as well as after a further administration of 1.5 ml of contrast medium. This aspect was not suggestive of an active inflammation such as Crohn's disease, where a marked contrast medium enhancement should be expected.

CONCLUSIONS

At present it is too speculative to emphasize contrast enhanced ultrasonography as usefulness tool in the diagnosis of terminal ileum tumors. Nevertheless, our preliminary experience strongly encourages the diffusion of the method.

Helicobacter pylori vacA arrangement and related diseases: a retrospective study over a period of 15 years

Peptic ulcer disease incidence is decreasing. Both s1m1 and s1m2 vacA gene combinations of Helicobacter pylori have been associated with the development of major gastroduodenal diseases. This study assessed whether H. pylori vacA gene arrangement changed over 15 years in a Southern Italy area. H. pylori-positive patients observed in January-June 1989 and January-June 2005 were selected. Histological specimens were retrieved to extract DNA for vacA arrangement characterization (mid-m and peptide signal-s regions) by using the polymerase chain reaction. Fifty-nine patients in the first period and 56 matched patients in the second period were evaluated. A correlation between s1 presence and intestinal metaplasia at histology was found. Overall, the s1m1 combination increased (P < 0.01) and s2m2 decreased (P < 0.001) during the study period. In detail, s1m1 (P < 0.05) and s1m2 (P < 0.01) increased, and s2m2 decreased (P < 0.001) in dyspeptic patients, while only s1m1 increased (P < 0.01) in peptic ulcer patients. Finally, few cases of s2m1 combination in both series were found. Our results show some unexpected aspects that require confirmation. In detail, the increased prevalence of potential more virulent H. pylori strains contrasts with peptic ulcer incidence reduction.