Small bowel tumors: pathology and management.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Oncology

Background:

• The small bowel constitutes the majority of the gastrointestinal tract length but harbors a small percentage of neoplasms.
• Forty tumor subtypes exist, with adenoma being most common; malignant types include gastrointestinal stromal tumors, neuroendocrine tumors, lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of small bowel tumors.
• To highlight challenges in diagnosis due to non-specific symptoms and limited endoscopic access.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on small bowel neoplasms.
• Discussion of advancements in diagnostic modalities like capsule endoscopy and double balloon endoscopy.
• Overview of imaging techniques and treatment strategies.

Main Results:

• Small bowel tumors present with non-specific or absent symptoms, causing diagnostic delays.
• Improved endoscopic and imaging techniques are enhancing detection rates.
• Surgical resection is the primary treatment for malignant and symptomatic benign lesions.

Conclusions:

• Despite rarity, small bowel tumors encompass diverse subtypes with generally poor survival for malignant forms.
• Multimodal approaches involving advanced diagnostics and therapeutics are crucial for managing these challenging neoplasms.