Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor with giant abscess. A case report and literature review

• Published in: Journal of clinical gastroenterology Vol. 24; no. 4; p. 280
• Main Authors: Honda, K, Mikami, T, Ohkusa, T, Takashimizu, I, Fujiki, K, Araki, A, Shimoi, K, Enomoto, Y, Ariake, K, Miyasaka, N, Nihei, Z, Oda, K, Terada, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.1997
• Subjects: Abscess - complications; Abscess - pathology; Aged; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - complications; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - epidemiology; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - pathology; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - epidemiology; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - pathology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - complications; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - pathology; Humans; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms - complications; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms - epidemiology; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach - pathology; Stomach Neoplasms - complications; Stomach Neoplasms - epidemiology; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Streptococcal Infections - complications; Streptococcal Infections - pathology
• ISSN: 0192-0790
• DOI: 10.1097/00004836-199706000-00024

We report a gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor of the stomach with a giant abscess. The patient had fever and pain and was found to have anemia and an abdominal mass. X-ray and endoscopic examination showed a gastric submucosal tumor with a fistula to the gastric lumen. Partial gastrectomy was performed and no metastasis was found. On gross examination, the excised tumor was seen to be a submucosal solid tumor with a giant abscess. Alpha streptococci and anaerobic gram-negative rods were cultured from the pus of the abscess. The tumor resembled a gastric myogenic tumor composed of spindle cells, partly showing storiform and epithelioids. Tumor cells showed positive staining for vimentin and neuron-specific enolase but were negative for desmin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and S-100 protein. Ultrastructural examination showed remarkable interdigitation of cytoplasmic processes with neurosecretory granules between the tumor cells. This lesion was similar to previously described gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumors. Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumors are a rare, distinct subtype of gastrointestinal stromal tumors; although several cases of focally necrotic tumors have been reported, there has been only one report of the tumor with an abscess, as in our case.