Description
The specimen is a length of small bowel. Eleven individual tumour foci are seen on the mucosal
surface. These consist of irregular or ovoid areas of ulceration with extensive central necrosis and
haemorrhage. The large central ovoid mass protrudes through to the serosal surface of the bowel.
History
The patient, a 22-year-old female, was admitted following discovery of an abdominal
mass. At laparotomy the liver, small bowel and both ovaries were found to be involved by tumour.
Histologically this was shown to be Burkitts lymphoma. The tumour followed a rapidly progressive
course despite chemotherapy and radiotherapy and the patient died within a few months of
diagnosis.