Beneath the Surface: Diagnosing Gastric Linitis Plastica

Authors

Anurag Marasini, MedStar Health Internal Medicine Residency Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
Thilini Delungahawatta, MedStar Health Internal Medicine Residency Program, Baltimore, MD, USAFollow
Bryan Szeto, Department of Internal Medicine, MedStar Franklin Square Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
Robert Jones, Department of Pathology, MedStar Franklin Square Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
Christopher J. Haas, MedStar Health Internal Medicine Residency Program, Baltimore, MD, USA Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C., USA

Abstract

Gastric Linitis plastica is characterized by extensive infiltration of gastric wall by poorly differentiated tumor cells, creating a "leather-bottle stomach" appearance. We describe a case involving a 71-year-old male presenting with globus sensation, early satiety and weight loss. Recent EGD had revealed chronic gastritis with polypoid mucosa at the GE junction, and subsequent FDG-PET indicated asymmetric FDG localization. On admission, repeat EGD with deep biopsies confirmed invasive poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma with signet ring features. Despite palliative radiation, the patient died within a month, highlighting the disease’s aggressiveness and importance of advanced diagnostic techniques in suspected cases of Linitis plastica.

Recommended Citation

Marasini, Anurag; Delungahawatta, Thilini; Szeto, Bryan; Jones, Robert; and Haas, Christopher J. (2024) "Beneath the Surface: Diagnosing Gastric Linitis Plastica," Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives: Vol. 14: Iss. 6, Article 23.
DOI: 10.55729/2000-9666.1415
Available at: https://scholarlycommons.gbmc.org/jchimp/vol14/iss6/23