Case report

Ectopic pancreatic-type malignancy presenting in a Meckel's diverticulum: a case report and review of the literature

Hoey C Koh¹ , Blaithin Page¹ , Catherine Black² , Ian Brown³ , Stuart Ballantyne⁴ and David J Galloway¹

¹  Department of Clinical Surgery, Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK

²  Department of Pathology, Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock KA2 0BE, UK

³  University of Glasgow, Department of Pathology, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK

⁴  Department of Radiology, Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK

author email corresponding author email

World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2009, 7:54doi:10.1186/1477-7819-7-54

Published:	22 June 2009

Abstract

Background

Neoplasms arising from Meckel's diverticulae reported in the literature are mainly carcinoid tumours, gastrointestinal stromal tumours, and gastric or intestinal adenocarcinomas.

Case presentation

We describe a 50-year-old man who presented with rectal bleeding and anaemia, later found to be caused by a pancreatic adenocarcinoma arising from ectopic pancreatic tissue in a Meckel's diverticulum. The tumour was unfortunately highly aggressive, and the patient passed away within 5 months of symptom onset.

Conclusion

We believe this is the first case of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a Meckel's diverticulum to be reported in the literature. The diagnosis of Meckel's should be considered in patients with acute gastrointestinal complaints; when found incidentally at laparotomy, it should be carefully examined for any gross abnormality and resection should be considered.