A rare case of small bowel leiomyosarcoma presenting with acute gastro-intestinal bleeding

A 62-year-old Turkish female was admitted to our hospital with acute, progressive melena. Gastroscopy and colonoscopy could not reveal the cause of the melena. Subsequent CT angiography demonstrated a large, exophytic mass in the ileocecal junction as a source of the haemorrhage, leading to urgent laparotomy and resection. Histopathology revealed a low grade leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and confirmatory immunological staining. Primary LMS of the small bowel is an extremely rare gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy. Presentation with acute GI bleeding is even more exceptional, since LMS is a mainly intramural, exophytic tumour of the bowel wall. Immunohistochemistry plays a crucial role in differentiating LMS from GI stromal tumour. The work up of occult small bowel neoplasms currently consists of MRI enterography or enteroclysis and wireless capsule endoscopy. Treatment is surgical resection. This case highlights the non-specific imaging features of ileal LMS and highlights the management of acute GI bleed.