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[Iron deficiency anemia due to stromal tumor of the ileum]
1Grupo de Trabajo de Gastroenterología, Sección de Hematología y Servicios de Clínica, Cirugía y Anatomía Patológica del Hospital General de Agudos Dr. Teodoro Alvarez.
Insights
Iron-deficiency anemia in men and postmenopausal women is often caused by gastrointestinal bleeding. A stromal tumor in the small intestine was identified as the cause in one severe case.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Hematology
Background:
- Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) affects 3.5-5.3% of adult men and postmenopausal women.
- Occult gastrointestinal bleeding is the primary cause of IDA in this demographic.
- Endoscopic evaluation often fails to identify the source of bleeding in 5-20% of patients.
Observation:
- Small bowel angiodysplasias and tumors are common causes of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Diagnosis of small bowel lesions requires complex and low-yield investigations.
- These investigations are crucial for severe or persistent anemia.
Findings:
- A case of a male patient with severe, persistent IDA is presented.
- The underlying cause was identified as a stromal gastrointestinal tumor in the ileum.
- This highlights a rare but significant cause of obscure GI bleeding.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering small bowel tumors in unexplained IDA.
- Suggests the need for advanced diagnostic approaches in select patients.
- Contributes to understanding the etiology of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.
Abstract:
Iron-deficiency anemia occurs in 3.5 to 5.3% of adult men and postmenopausal women. Occult gastrointestinal bleeding is the cause in the vast majority of cases. After endoscopic examinations have ruled out lesions in colon and upper gastrointestinal tract, 5 to 20% of those patients remain without diagnosis. Angiodysplasias and tumors are the most common causes of occult bleeding arising from the small bowel. Their diagnosis requires complex studies with quite low yield. However, it is necessary to perform them when anemia becomes severe or persistent. We report the case of a male patient with severe and persistent iron-deficiency anemia who had a stromal gastrointestinal tumor located in the ileum.