Since the first report in 1956 by Ginsburg and associates1 of adenocarcinoma of the small intestine occurring in patients with regional enteritis, a total of 21 similar cases have been reported.2-5 None of these patients perforated their bowel.
Free small bowel perforation in the course of regional enteritis, in general, is a rare event.4,6 In none of these patients did the small bowel perforation result from a tumor.
Since evidence regarding the association of regional enteritis and carcinoma seems to be emerging1-5 and small bowel perforation in the course of regional enteritis4,6-10 is a rare complication, we wish to report a patient in whom adenocarcinoma of the small bowel resulted in a free small bowel perforation after 24 years of regional enteritis.
Patient Summary
A 43-year-old white woman was admitted for the first time on July 20,1968, to the New England Medical Center Hospitals (195-961).