Gastric cancer with features of submucosal tumor: a case report

A case of stomach carcinoma showing the features of a submucosal tumor (SMT) is reported. The patient was a 65-year-old woman admitted to the Internal Medicine Department with autoimmune hepatitis and complaining of anemia and tarry stools. Endoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor-like lesion with central ulceration. The lesion was the suspected cause of the anemia; therefore, a partial resection of the stomach was performed. The histopathologic examination revealed a mucinous adenocarcinoma (MUC). The tumor extended to the submucosa. Accordingly, a subtotal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed. In stomach carcinoma simulating an SMT, generally preoperative diagnosis is important. However, in this patient, surgery was selected as the best treatment.