PRIMARY SARCOMA OF THE SMALL INTESTINE' 



By R. W. Hammack ' 



{From the Department of Pathology and Bacteriology, University 

 of the Philippines, Manila, P. I.) 



Within the last year three cases of primary sarcoma of the 

 small intestine have been encountered in the service of this de- 

 partment. In view of the infrequency of this condition, these 

 cases have been summarized and are here presented, together 

 with a brief consideration of the pathological anatomy of the 

 disease. 



Case 1. (S. P. 654.) — The patient was a male Filipino, 

 aged 33, a cigar maker. For four years he had had abdominal 

 pain after eating, which could be relieved by induced vomiting, 

 and the bowel movements had been irregular. In spite of symp- 

 toms of obstructions, he was fairly well nourished. A mov- 

 able tumor was felt in the abdomen. The tumor was removed 

 at operation, and the patient was in good condition three months 

 later, after which he was lost sight of. 



Description of tumor. — The available records do not state 

 exactly which part of the intestine was removed. 



A segment of the small intestine, 10 centimeters in length, was 

 completely encircled, and the wall diffusely infiltrated by the 

 tumor. In the distal portion of the segment, where the wall 

 measured 1 centimeter in thickness, the lumen was markedly 

 narrowed, while above it was dilated and the wall thinner. 

 There was no ulceration, the mucous surface being smooth and 

 without folds. Enlarged lymphatic glands were found in the 

 mesentery. 



Microscopic examination. — A section through the infiltrated 

 intestinal wall showed partial absence of the epithelium, but the 

 denuded portions showed no necrosis or evidence of ulceration. 

 The various coats of the intestine could not be differentiated 

 since the entire wall was infiltrated by tumor cells. The cells 

 were round, slightly larger than lymphocytes, and had pale- 



' Read before the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Philippine Islands 

 Medical Association, held in Manila from November 4-7, 1912. 



' Instructor in pathology and bacteriology, College of Medicine and 

 Surgery, University of the Philippines. 



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