intermediate
Last reviewed 01/2018
There are four types of benign small bowel tumours that have a strong tendency for malignant change. Each shows a spectrum of activity from truly benign to frank cancer. They include:
- villous adenoma:
- closely associated with carcinoma
- small bowel polyps may accompany up to half of all cases of Gardner's syndrome
- smooth muscle tumours:
- may present with haemorrhage, obstructive symptoms or a palpable mass
- treated by wide resection and occasionally respond to chemotherapy
- duodenal apudomas:
- 10% of all gastrinomas arise at this site
- treated by local excision or pancreatoduodenectomy
- carcinoid tumours:
- the ileum is the second most frequent site of occurrence
- approximately one third have metastasized by the time of diagnosis