Small intestine adenocarcinoma in conjunction with multiple adenomas causing acute colic in a horse.

The article discusses a case where an 11-year-old horse developed severe gastrointestinal discomfort (colic), which was found to be due to cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in the small intestine. After surgery to remove the tumors, the horse showed no complications a year later, but there is still a high risk of the cancer returning or of the benign tumors developing into cancer.

Background and Case Presentation

• An 11-year-old Andalusian stallion shows severe signs of colic, an affliction in horses described by signs of abdominal discomfort. The colic was linked to an acute blockage within the horse’s small intestine.
• An exploratory surgery called a laparotomy revealed that the cause of the blockage was a hardened part of Jejunum wall which is a mid-section of the small intestine, and several small masses attached inside the Jejunum.

Surgical Intervention and Diagnosis

• During the surgical process, a 15-centimeter section of the Jejunum, which had turned hard and encompassed the small masses, was removed by the veterinarians.
• The resected masses and parts of the intestine were examined histologically through which they were diagnosed to be an adenocarcinoma – a type of cancer that forms in mucus-secreting glands – and multiple polypoid adenomas – benign growths that may become cancerous.

Postoperative Phase and Future Risks

• The horse was discharged after its operation and displayed no complications or issues a full year after the surgery occurred.
• However, the occurrence of colic is believed to be a consequence of the partial blockage of the Jejunum lumen caused by the adenocarcinoma.
• Despite the successful surgery and apparent recuperation, there is still a high possibility that the adenocarcinoma could reappear or the remaining adenomas might transform into an adenocarcinoma.