[Monophasic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the ileum. Description of a case and review of the literature].

INTRODUCTION: A case of monophasic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the ileum is described. RESULTS: The patient was a 76 year old woman, presenting with a 5 cm perforated mass of the ileum. The tumor was constituted by epithelioid and spindle atypical cells, arranged in fascicles and in solid sheets; no clear-cut carcinomatous component was evident. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for cytokeratin and, focally, for vimentin. The patient died of disease 2 months after surgery. DISCUSSION: The literature on small intestine sarcomatoid carcinoma is reviewed and the differential diagnosis is discussed. In the Author's opinion, the term sarcomatoid carcinoma (monophasic or biphasic) should be used in the small intestine for those neoplasms previously described as enteroblastoma, carcinosarcoma or pleomorphic carcinoma.