Adenocarcinoma of the upper small bowel complicating coeliac disease

Abstract

Adenocarcinoma of the small intestine complicating coeliac disease is uncommon. Only 14 cases have been reported, and in only one of these was a jejunal biopsy carried out more than eight months before the diagnosis of malignancy. We describe four more patients with this association, all with long histories of coeliac disease, confirmed in three by jejunal biopsy over five years before the diagnosis of malignancy. Important presenting features of carcinoma were abdominal pain, anaemia, occult gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal mass, and intestinal obstruction, and these were the main indications for operation. After resection of the tumour survival may be prolonged, as evidenced by one of our cases who remains well eight years after surgery.