Enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma presenting with multiple episodes of small bowel haemorrhage and perforation

Enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (EATCL) is an intestinal neoplasm of intra-epithelial T lymphocytes associated with coeliac disease. Although the incidence is rare, EATCL runs an aggressive disease course and produces multi-focal ulcerative lesions most commonly in the proximal small bowel. As such, patients may present with intestinal perforation, obstruction or haemorrhage. Management of EATCL requires a combination of early diagnosis and treatment by surgical resection followed by chemotherapy to achieve treatment success. Overall however, the treatment completion rate remains at 50% and EATCL carries a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of <20%.