Clinical features and outcomes of bowel perforation in primary pediatric gastrointestinal lymphoma

Background Whether surgery can improve the prognosis of patients with primary pediatric gastrointestinal lymphoma (PPGL) who experienced bowel perforation remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of such patients. Methods Nine patients pathologically diagnosed with PPGL who experienced perforation at our center between January 2010 and December 2020 were enrolled and divided into two groups: those with perforation during (n = 4) and before (n = 5) chemotherapy. Their medical records were reviewed, and long-term follow-up was conducted by telephone in February 2021. Results All patients with perforation during chemotherapy were diagnosed with PPGL in the outpatient department. The mean time from outpatient visit to chemotherapy was 17.3 ± 6.1 days. Two patients experienced perforation during the first chemotherapy regimen and received conservative treatment, while the others developed perforation after multiple chemotherapy regimens and underwent surgery. All of the patients received regular chemotherapy and survived for a mean follow-up time of 3.8 ± 1.9 years. No patient with perforation before chemotherapy had a definite diagnosis in the outpatient department. Among these patients, 4 experienced perforation and underwent surgery, of whom 3 developed perforation-related complications and died; the other recurred after chemotherapy. Only the patient who received conservative treatment was diagnosed with PPGL before chemotherapy, received regular chemotherapy, and survived without a recurrence for 1.0 year. Conclusion Prompt diagnosis and chemotherapy improve the prognosis of PPGL. Surgery does not affect the prognosis of patients with perforation during chemotherapy but may accelerate disease progression in patients with perforation before chemotherapy.

A Complicated Case of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in an Elderly Presenting with Massive Gastrointestinal Bleeding Successfully Treated with R-mini CHOP

Gastrointestinal lymphoma accounts for up to 20% of all extranodal lymphoma cases. Among them, the ileum is the second most commonly affected site after the stomach. The majority of gastrointestinal lymphoma originates from the B cell lineage. We report the case of 60-year-old male with persistent anemia, hematochezia, and poor performance status (PS). After thorough workup, imaging, and pathological study, the patient was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the terminal ileum. He was treated with R-CHOP based chemotherapy with dose tailoring to accommodate his poor PS. His symptoms promptly subsided after the first chemotherapy cycle. After eight cycles of chemotherapy, terminal ileum wall thickening was gone and the patient was disease-free for 6 months. This case report shows that chemotherapy can be beneficial in patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma despite poor PS. Therefore, it should be given when possible with proper dose tailoring.

Can cryptogenic multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis (CMUSE) be diagnosed in a patient with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposure?

The differential diagnosis for ulcerating small bowel strictures is extensive and includes exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Crohn’s disease, infections, gastrointestinal lymphoma and vasculopathy. It also encompasses the exceptionally rare and poorly understood diagnosis of cryptogenic multifocal ulcerative stenosing enterocolitis (CMUSE), often a diagnosis of exclusion and considerable difficulty. We present a case of persistent proximal jejunal ulcerating stenoses in a 75-year-old Caucasian man, which continued despite cessation of NSAIDs. After extensive clinical, radiographic, laboratory and ultimately surgical pathological appraisal—as well as failure to improve with both misoprostol and budesonide—he was diagnosed with CMUSE and managed with limited small bowel resection. In the presentation of this case, we aim to underscore the diagnostic challenges that clinicians face in differentiating CMUSE from other more common diagnoses, particularly NSAIDs-induced enteropathy.