Malignancy in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome? The pitfall of pseudo-invasion

J Clin Gastroenterol. 1997 Jul;25(1):387-90. doi: 10.1097/00004836-199707000-00023.

Abstract

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a malignancy-associated polyposis syndrome. We describe a histopathologic phenomenon easily encountered when examining the nature of Peutz-Jeghers polyps but that is underreported in the literature. This phenomenon of "pseudo-invasion" may mimic invasive carcinoma due to epithelial displacement and erroneously give the impression, both macroscopically and microscopically, that a malignancy is involved. This potential pitfall is illustrated by the case of a patient with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome who was thought to harbor a metastasizing adenocarcinoma in his small bowel with peritoneal metastasis as a perioperative finding. Histologic examination, however, revealed pseudo-invasion.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology*
  • Pedigree
  • Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome / pathology*