EARLY PRESENTATION OF CARCINOMA OF THE SMALL BOWEL IN CROHNS-DISEASE (CROHNS CARCINOMA) - CASE-REPORTS AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 82  (4) , 783-789
Abstract
Three cases of adenocarcinoma of the small bowel complicating Crohn''s disease (Crohn''s carcinoma) are reported. In 2 cases, the adenocarcinoma was discovered in the 1st attack of enteritis. In only 1 other case in the literature, a similar presentation was described. A review of 59 reported cases of adenocarcinoma of small bowel in Crohn''s disease, together with these 3 cases reveals the following: the cancer develops at a younger age than in carcinoma de novo; there is no difference in incidence of carcinoma in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd decades after the onset of symptoms of Crohn''s disease; in 73% of the cases, the neoplasm arose in the ileum; in all but 1 case it developed in inflamed segments of bowel; and in 31% of the cases, the cancer developed in a bypassed segment of bowel. This analysis clearly demonstrates that Crohn''s carcinoma is a complication in Crohn''s disease and not a chance coexistence of 2 diseases in the same patient.