Rare non-epithelial tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (Vanek’s tumor) in emergency surgery in adults: clinical cases

Aim/Objective. To assess the usefulness of the individual diagnostic approach and the results of endoscopic or surgical treatment of inflammatory fibroid polyps (IFP / Vanek’s tumor), that are rare in the emergency abdominal surgery.

Materials and methods (2 сases report). We analyzed the results of the diagnostic and surgical treatment two patients with complications of Vanek's tumor, who have been treated at the 10th City Clinical Hospital in 2025 and at the City Clinical Hospital of Emergency Care in Minsk in 2022.

Results. In our clinical observations, we have been analyzed two cases of Vanek’s tumor different localization and complications, which fully represent the difficulties in the diagnostic and treatment these patients. The results of the diagnostics and treatment were described, which relate to own sightings of the complications of Vanek’s tumor: antral gastric IFP with recurrences of bleeding and duodenal obstruction. In the second report: the distal ileum with ileocecal intussusception. Our results highlight the effectiveness of the endoscopic treatment, especially in the localization of IFP in the stomach, and need performed laparotomy in cases of the small intestine tumors. The prognosis after complete removal of IFP is very good, since only one case of recurrence after endoscopic removal of IFT of cardia of the stomach was described in more than 1000 cases in adults.

Conclusions. Diagnostic approaches weren’t differed from generally accepted in the emergency surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding or intestinal obstruction. Endoscopic or surgical management are the methods of choice for treatment complications caused by Vanech’s tumor localized in the stomach or small intestine.

1. Vanek, J. Gastric submucosal granuloma with eosinophilic infiltration // Am J Pathol. – 1949. – Vol. 25, № 3. – P. 397–411.

2. Akbulut, S. Intussusception due to inflammatory fibroid polyp: A case report and comprehensive literature review // World J Gastroenterol. – 2012. – Vol. 18, № 40. – P. 5745–5752. – doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i40.5745.

3. Giant ileal inflammatory fibroid polyp causing small bowel obstruction: a case report and review of the literature / S. O. Mohamud [et al.] // Cases J. – 2008. – Vol. 21, № 1. – P. 341–345. doi: 10.1186/1757–1626–1-341.

4. Helwig, E. B. Inflammatory fibroid polyps of the stomach / E. B . Helwig, A. Ranier // Surg Gynecol Obstet. – 1953. – Vol. 96, № 3. – P. 335–367.

5. Tyurina, V. M., Verbovsky A. N., Setdikova G. R., Semenkov A. V., Novikova T. V., Vakurova E. S., Shikina V. E. Giant inflammatory fibrous polyp of the stomach (literature review and clinical case). Clinical and Experimental Surgery // Petrovsky Journal. – 2022. – № 10(4). – Р. 29–37. – doi: 10.33029/2308-1198-2022-10-4-29-37 [In Russian].

6. Inflammatory fibroid polyps harbor mutations in the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) gene / H. U. Schildhaus [et al.] // Journal of Pathology. – 2008. – Vol. 216, № 2. – P. 176–182. – doi: 10.1002/path.2393.

7. Invasive inflammatory fibroid polyp of the stomach: a case report and literature review / H. Harima [et al.] // BMC Gastroenterol. – 2018. – Vol. 18, № 1. – P. 1–5. – doi: 10.1186/s12876-018-0808-9.

8. Gastric inflammatory fibroid polyp: a rare cause of occult upper gastrointestinal bleeding / F. Inayat [et al.] // J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep. – 2020. – № 8. – Р. 2324709620936840. – doi: 10.1177/2324709620936840.

9. Inflammatory fibroid polyp (Vanek’s tumor): a retrospective multicentric analysis of 67 cases / M. M. Sánchez [et al.] // Cancers (Basel). – 2025. – № 17(7), 1209. – P. 1–11. – doi: 10.3390/cancers17071209.

10. Recurrent inflammatory fibroid polyp of cardia: A case report / K. Zinkiewicz [et al.] // World J. Gastroenterol. – 2004. – Vol. 10, № 5. – P. 767–768. – doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i5.767.