Enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma as a complication of silent celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which a genetic predisposition and the ingestion of wheat gluten triggers a deleterious immune response. This response is complex and may lead to manifestations other than enteropathyha: hepatitis, dermatitis and neuropathy. There is higher risk for neoplasia. We observed an atypical case, corresponding to a 69-year old female presenting with complicated celiac disease. The patient was referred following the histological examination of an enterectomy specimen, which unexpectedly revealed an enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma in a background of celiac disease. Patient's previous medical history comprised several abdominal surgical procedures, without other prior symptoms suggestive of celiac disease. Indeed, the patient was obese and no signs of malabsortion were apparent. This case draws our attention to clinically silent celiac disease, which represents a diagnostic challenge. Thus, this should be kept in mind whenever a patient presents with abdominal relapsing complications, otherwise unexplained.