Desmoid-type fibromatosis of the mesentery: report of a sporadic case with emphasis on differential diagnostic problems.

Desmoid-type fibromatosis is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm with local aggressiveness. The incidence of desmoid-type fibromatosis is 2-5/million/year with intra-abdominal fibromatosis, such as that which is reported in this clinical case, occurring only in 12-18% of cases. After having analyzed the pathogenetic hypotheses of desmoid-type fibromatosis, the authors point out that the diagnosis of this disease, especially in the intra-abdominal form, is often late, specifically when highly demolitive interventions are needed or when the limits of radical surgery have been exceeded.

Primary neuroendocrine lung tumor presenting with acute ileal obstruction. Case report.

The authors describe a clinical case of a patient with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung diagnosed after the onset of an intestinal obstruction from an ileal metastasis. A review of literature reveals that the incidence of symptomatic gastro-intestinal metastases from lung cancer has been estimated to be about 2-3% and is exceedingly rare that the intestinal symptoms may be the initial presentation of cancer of the lung. The authors emphasize the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis of gastro-intestinal metastases which is made, almost always, too late because of the lack of specific symptoms.