Diagnosis and treatment of primary small bowel tumors / 中国普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective　To study the clinical manifestation of small bowel tumors and the prognostic factors. Methods　Retrospective analysis of the clinical data were made on 42 cases of primary small bowel tumors (except periampullary tumors) admitted to our hospital from 1974 to 1999. Results　In this series, there were 6 cases of benign small bowel tumors, 5 of them were leiomyoma and 1 adenoma. Of the 36 cases of malignant 　tumors, there were malignant lyphoma in 17 cases (47.2%), adenocarcinoma in 11 (30.6%),　 leiomyosarcoma in 6(16.7%), carcinoid tumor in 1 (2.8%) and neurofibrosarcoma in 1 (2.8%). There was no characteristic clinical sign in small bowel tumors; endoscopy and barium series were the main diagnostic methods. About 50 per cent of patients with malignancy had metastasis, and only 18 cases (50%) received radical resection. Follow-up were available on 36 cases. The overall 5-year survival rate in the patients with malignant small bowel tumors was 47.3%. Multivariate analysis showed that metastasis and diameter of tumors were the main prognostic factors of the 5-year survival. Conclusions　Early diagnosis and early treatment play the key roles in improving the prognosis of malignant small bowel tumors. Radical resection should be taken if no metastasis is found.