[Massive hemorrhage from duodenal adenocarcinoma]

The authors report the case of a 48 year old patient with duodenal adenocarcinoma. The patient was hospitalized at the internal clinic and due to massive bleeding into GIT was removed into the surgical clinic in a state of shock. The operation revealed a Tu formation on the border between D3 and D4, and a palliative resection was performed. The histologic examination verified the diagnosis of the duodenal carcinoma, WHO gr.II. During the postoperative period the patient received 4 chemotherapeutic treatments, although literature generally refers to chemotherapy as having no effect on the time of survival in patients with duodenal adenocarcinoma. The authors conclude that in patients with a long termed history of atypical abdominal symptoms including bleeding into GIT which are inexplicable owing to fibroscopy and x-ray, it is necessary to take into consideration the possible presence of neoplasms in the small intestine, and hence in the duodenum. In cases with massive bleeding they recommend palliative resection and subsequent chemotherapy. (Fig. 6, Ref. 11.).