An Infrequent Offender in Hematochezia: Jejunal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Published date: Dec 31 2025

Journal Title: Dubai Medical Journal

Issue title: Dubai Medical Journal (DMJ): Volume 8, Issue 4

Pages: 574-582

DOI: 10.18502/dmj.v8i4.20494

Mathew Vadukoot Lazarmathewv7@yahoo.comMedical Gastroenterology, Lifecare Hospital, Abu Dhabi

George Sarin ZachariaInternal Medicine & Gastroenterology, BronxCare Health System, New York

Krishnamurthy SubbianPathology, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi

Sunil SundaramGeneral Surgery, Lifecare Hospital, Abu Dhabi

Atul Eknath SawantRadiodiagnosis, Lifecare Hospital, Abu Dhabi

Jibu ThomasBiotechnology, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore

Introduction: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal and exhibit the characteristic cytogenetic marker c-Kit, also known as CD117. While often asymptomatic, life-threatening GI bleeding is one of the possible clinical presentations. Diagnosis relies on imaging, endoscopic or cross-sectional, while histology confirms the diagnosis. Surgery is the therapeutic option of choice in non-metastatic resectable GIST, while targeted molecular therapies are recommended for metastatic or nonresectable lesions.

Case Report: Our patient presented with melena and symptomatic anemia with no apparent source of bleeding on initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Abdominal imaging revealed a lobulated vascular mass in the proximal jejunum, which was surgically resected and confirmed to be a low-grade spindle cell type GIST without metastasis. His postoperative course was uneventful, and he remains asymptomatic with no evidence of recurrence on follow-up imaging at 8 months.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of a structured diagnostic approach in GI bleeding and provides a brief review of the current literature on GIST. In the current era of advanced endoscopic techniques, GIST remains one of the clinical scenarios in which surgical intervention still holds the upper hand in definitive patient care for GI luminal bleeding.

Keywords: GIST, hematochezia, gastrointestinal bleed, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, small bowel tumor

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