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The sprue syndrome secondary to lyrnphoma of the small bowel

1953; Elsevier BV; Volume: 15; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0002-9343(53)90155-7

1555-7162

Marvin H. Sleisenger, Thomas P. Almy, David P. Barr,

Metastasis and carcinoma case studies

A survey of the literature has yielded thirteen cases of sprue secondary to histologically proven lymphoblastoma of the small intestine and mesenteric nodes. We present here four additional cases verified at operation and/or autopsy. The tumor was identified as lymphosarcoma in two instances, as reticulum-cell sarcoma in the third, and as giant follicle lymphoma (Brill-Symmers) in the fourth. These four cases constituted 25 per cent of all cases of lymphosarcoma of the small intestine seen at our hospital over a twenty-year period, and 16 per cent of all cases of non-tropical sprue. In view of the rarity of both diseases the association is a striking one, and we suggest that lymphoblastoma of the small intestine be considered in the differential diagnosis of the sprue syndrome. Comparison of these cases with a series of twenty cases of idiopathic non-tropical sprue revealed that the average duration of symptoms was 6.9 months in the lymphoma group and 40.0 months in the “idiopathic” group. Otherwise, no differences were observed in the history, the physical or roentgenologic findings, the laboratory data or the short-term response to nutritive therapy. Consequently, we doubt that the diagnosis of sprue due to lymphoblastoma of the small bowel can be made before obstruction or perforation of the bowel or dissemination of the disease.