[A Case of Primary Small Intestinal Cancer Diagnosed Due to Repeated Intestinal Obstruction]

The patient, a man in his 70s suffered 5 episodes of intestinal obstruction over the past year and had been under observation, however he remained undiagnosed. When he experiences another episode of lower abdominal pain and vomiting, the subsequent detailed examination revealed an intestinal obstruction caused by a suspected small intestinal tumor. A laparotomy was performed, and a tumorous lesion was identified in the ileum, approximately 20 cm oral to the ileocecal area. Then, a partial small intestinal resection with mesenteric lymph node dissection was performed. The subsequent pathological diagnosis was Type 2, 49×28 mm, tub1, pT3N0M0, pStage Ⅱa. There are multiple reported incidences of primary small intestinal cancers progressing to advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis. Hence, in the event of an idiopathic intestinal obstruction, small intestinal tumor must be considered.