J Korean Surg Soc.  2012 Nov;83(5):321-324. 10.4174/jkss.2012.83.5.321.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the small intestine: a rare and highly aggressive tumor

• Lee SE
• Park SY

• KMID: 2145010
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2012.83.5.321

Abstract

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the small intestine is an extremely rare malignant neoplasm that usually has a poor prognosis. We report a case of sarcomatoid carcinoma arising in the small intestine in a 62-year-old man who was hospitalized for abdominal pain. Computed tomography revealed wall thickening of the small intestine. The resected specimen showed a gray-whitish solid mass with hemorrhage and necrosis. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of pleomorphic spindle and discohesive polygonal cells with frequent mitosis. No carcinomatous component was recognized. Immunohistochemistry revealed coexpression of cytokeratin and vimentin by the tumor cells, whereas expressions of C-kit, CD34, HMB-45, smooth muscle actin, and desmin were negative. The diagnosis was sarcomatoid carcinoma of the small intestine.

Keyword

Small intestine; Sarcomatoid carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Actins
Desmin
Hemorrhage
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Intestine, Small
Keratins
Middle Aged
Mitosis
Muscle, Smooth
Necrosis
Prognosis
Vimentin
Actins
Desmin
Keratins
Vimentin

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Abdominal computed tomography image showing 10 cm sized mass in small intestine.

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  Fig. 2 Microscopically, tumor is composed of atypical spindle (A: H&E, ×200) and discohesive giant polygonal cells (B: H&E, ×200) in inflammatory background. Immunohistochemical staining, tumor cells are positive for cytokeratin (C: cytokeratin, ×200) and vimentin (D: vimentin, ×200).

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