Carcinoma of the Stomach in a Child

THERE are few well-documented cases of adenocarcinoma of the stomach in children less than 16 years of age. We recently treated an 11-year-old girl who had cancer of the gastric pylorus that mimicked a benign pyloric-channel ulcer. She is the subject of the following case report.

Report of a Case  An 11-year-old Korean-American child was well until September 1972 when she had a two-week history of vomiting, abdominal pain, and dark stools. She also complained of weakness and general malaise.The child was pale, thin, and tired. Her abdomen was flat without palpable masses, but there was slight tenderness to deep palpation in the epigastrium. Results of the rest of the examination were normal. The hemoglobin level was 5 gm/100 ml. The stools reacted strongly for occult blood. The total bilirubin level was 3 mg/100 ml, and the alkaline phosphatase level was mildly elevated. An upper gastrointestinal roentgenographic series disclosed