Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the small-bowel mesentery: A case report of nonspecific clinical presentation and a review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare neoplasm of various anatomical sites, which is histopathologically characterized by spindle-shaped cells with myofibroblastic proliferation and inflammatory infiltration. PRESENTATION OF CASE: In this case report, a 37-year-old man presented with nonspecific systemic symptoms, including abdominal pain and weakness, which was diagnosed by multislice computed tomography and ultrasonography. An 8 cm × 5 cm × 5 cm nodular gray-white firm noninfiltrative mass, which was well localized in the mesentery tissues of small bowel, was observed and the patient underwent surgical resection. DISCUSSION: A review of the literature on IMT of the small-bowel mesentery yielded a small number of previously described cases. This tumor most frequently involves the lungs and arises most commonly in extrapulmonary locations such as the mesentery and omentum. The etiopathogenesis and the clinical course of the disease are unclear. The histological and clinical differential diagnosis of IMT also includes reactive processes and mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Follow-up after surgical removal documented local recurrence and metastasis. CONCLUSION: The preferred primary treatment is complete surgical excision, and patients require close clinicoradiological follow-up. In general, cases treated with complete surgical resection have a good prognosis.