[Malignant tumors of the small intestine]

In a retrospective analysis, we studied 24 cases of malignant small bowel tumors. Apart from 9 cases of a carcinoid tumor, there occurred 6 cases of leiomyosarcoma and another 7 cases of adenocarcinoma. One case of malignant schwannoma and another case of lymphoma were also seen. Sonography and contrast-study of the GI-tract were the decisive diagnostic tools. Nevertheless, months and even years elapsed before diagnosis was established. Only in 13 patients curative resection could be accomplished. In the remainder of patients, hepatic metastases were found or the tumor could not be resected any more owing to its size. In 6 patients with synchronous and in 7 patients with metachronous liver metastases we carried out palliative regional intraarterial chemotherapy of the liver. The mean survival time of the whole patient group was 19 months. Patients, having submitted themselves to a complete resection of the tumor, had a significantly longer period of survival (mean survival time 25 months) in contrast to patients, having undergone a mere palliative operative procedure (mean survival time 14 months). Mean survival time for leiomyosarcoma was 38 months, for adenocarcinoma 14 months, and for carcinoid tumors 22 months. Owing to difficulties in establishing diagnosis, a tumor of the small intestine should be considered in any patient complaining of abdominal pain.