[Anemia, subcutaneous bleeding and weight loss. Disseminated metastasizing, mucinous adenocarcinoma of the stomach].

A 69 years old female patient was admitted to the hospital with anemia, loss of appetite and weight since three months. The physical examination showed extended cutaneous bleedings. Laboratory tests revealed a hemolytic anemia with fragmented erythrocytes. The bone marrow examination was characterized by erythroid hyperplasia and an invasion by mucin-producing adenocarcinoma cells. Upper endoscopy detected a small hiatal hernia with mucosal erosions between esophagus and stomach. The histology of the mucosal biopsy identified a poorly differentiated mucin-producing adenocarcinoma with portions of signet-ring cells. X-ray examination revealed osteoplastic bone metastases of the vertebrae and of the pelvis. We diagnosed a disseminated, mucin-producing adenocarcinoma of the stomach, associated with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. In spite of rapidly begun chemotherapy with adriamycin and daily blood transfusions the woman died after four weeks.