Emergent approach to small bowel tumors: diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study presents the diagnosis and treatment of rare small bowel tumors through clinical cases. METHODS: Patients treated between 2000 and 2023 were included in the study. The clinical records of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were included in the study. Of these patients, 26 (75.5%) were male and eight (23.5%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 62.1 years. The most common symptoms and signs were abdominal pain (76.4%), bloating (38.2%), and nausea and vomiting (17.6%). Diagnostic methods included computed tomography (CT) (82.3%), upper gastrointestinal double balloon enteroscopy (35.2%), and capsule endoscopy (5.8%). Diagnoses included adenocarcinoma in 13 cases, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in 12 cases, and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in two cases. CONCLUSION: Small bowel tumors frequently present with abdominal pain, bloating, and nausea and vomiting. CT and endoscopic procedures are the primary diagnostic tools. Small bowel cancers are often diagnosed late due to subtle clinical findings and the limita-tions of endoscopic imaging. Targeted screening strategies may be beneficial for certain at-risk and symptomatic patient groups. Early surgical intervention offers significant advantages for diagnosed patients.