2025 Volume 45 Issue 1 Pages 9-12
A 53-year-old woman presented to us with a history of palpitations and exertional dyspnea. A clinical workup revealed severe anemia (Hb 5.2 g/dL) and a small-intestinal tumor with ulceration measuring 6 cm in diameter on contrast-enhanced CT. Although no active bleeding was observed, the anemia was thought to be caused by bleeding, with the tumor considered as the likely source of bleeding. We performed partial resection of the small intestine after transfusion of 4 units of packed red cells. The resected specimen showed an ulcer on the surface of the intestinal tumor, which was considered as the source of bleeding. Histopathological examination confirmed the tumor as a desmoid tumor. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 7. She showed no recurrence of the anemia or desmoid tumor until follow-up at the end of one year. While desmoid tumors are often associated with abdominal bloating or pain, cases of severe anemia caused by tumor bleeding are rare. Despite the fibrous nature of desmoid tumors, surgery was warranted in this case because of gastrointestinal bleeding.
