Gastric antral vascular ectasia associated with gastric carcinoma.

Abstract

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), or watermelon stomach, is an uncommon cause of chronic gastrointestinal blood loss and iron deficiency anemia. Although GAVE has not previously been reported in association with gastric cancer, it is often associated with atrophic gastritis and pernicious anemia, which are known risk factors for gastric malignancy. We report a 72-yr-old woman with pernicious anemia who was found to have GAVE associated with adenosquamous carcinoma of the gastric cardia and adenocarcinoma in situ of the pylorus. In view of recent reports of the use of endoscopic modalities rather than surgical resection to treat GAVE, our case alerts endoscopists to the possibility of coexisting carcinoma.