BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to identify the behaviour of small bowel tumours treated at the General Surgery Department of Hospital das Clínicas-UFPE. METHODS: From 1994 to 1999, 12 patients with small intestine tumours were retrospectively selected from the files of the General Surgery Department - Hospital das Clínicas/UFPE. Seven patients were male. The mean age at admission was 52 years. The most frequent complaint was abdominal pain (83%), followed by bleeding and loss of weight (42%). The tumour could be felt at the abdominal examination in 50% of the patients. Seven patients harboured malignant lesions (58%). Among benign tumours, four patients had leiomiomas. One female patient, with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, presented with hammartomas. Ten patients were submitted to surgical treatment. Three, in an urgent basis. RESULTS: The mortality related to the surgery was 17%. All patients that eventually progressed to death had malignant lesions, and were admitted with marked loss of weight (> 15% of the ideal body weight). CONCLUSIONS: Small intestine tumours are rare lesions even in major treatment centers. Those treating these patients should keep a high clinical suspicion. Earlier diagnosis, particularly in patients with malignant lesions, can improve prognosis.
Small bowell tumours; Intestinal neoplasms
