ABSTRACT
Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is known to cause gastric adenocarcinoma in a stepwise fashion. Gastric intestinal metaplasia is a known premalignant stage. We report a case of a 70-year-old male patient with active chronic H. pylori-associated gastritis and focal intestinal metaplasia on the initial presentation, who rapidly developed diffuse, poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma 20 months after the loss to follow-up. Our case highlights the premalignant nature of gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) and the extreme importance of early eradication of H. pylori. We also address the lack of definitive GIM surveillance guidelines.
ABSTRACT
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by fibroproliferative alterations of the microvasculature leading to fibrosis and loss of function of the skin and internal organs. Gastrointestinal manifestations of SSc are the most commonly encountered complications of the disease affecting nearly 90% of the SSc population. Among these complications, the esophagus and the anorectum are the most commonly affected. However, this devastating disorder does not spare any part of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and includes the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small and large bowels as well as the liver and pancreas. In this review, we present the current understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of SSc including vasculopathy, endothelial to mesenchymal transformation as well as the autoimmune pathogenetic pathways. We also discuss the clinical presentation and diagnosis of each part of the GIT affected by SSc. Finally, we highlight the latest developments in the management of this disease, addressing the severe malnutrition that affects this vulnerable patient population and ways to assess and improve the nutritional status of the patients.
