Primary small-bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumor presenting with severe anemia: A report of two cases

Abstract

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are rare mesenchymal neoplasms that commonly occur in the stomach and small intestine and can occur anywhere from the esophagus to the anus. We are reporting two cases with identical presentations of severe anemia and abdominal discomfort, which revealed the diagnosis of primary small-bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST), on computed tomography (CT), as standard endoscopy investigations failed to reveal the cause for the anemia. Both patients underwent surgical resection for the lesions and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of GIST. After surgical management, hemoglobin levels of both patients improved, and were discharged with uneventful postoperative course. These case reports stress the importance of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans, for investigating anemia, along with the standard endoscopy tests.