Synchronous adenocarcinoma and marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the colon: a case report

Collision tumor of primary malignant lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in the colon diagnosed by molecular pathology: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Collision tumors of primary malignant lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in the colon are rare. Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)-adenocarcinoma collision tumors are especially rare.

CASE SUMMARY

A 74-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain of 1 mo duration. Biopsy under colonoscopy revealed adenocarcinoma of the ascending colon. Subsequently, the patient underwent laparoscopic radical resection of right colon cancer with lymph node dissection. A collision tumor was found incidentally through postoperative pathological sampling. Genetic analysis showed a collision tumor of DLBCL with germinal center B-cell subtype and TP53 mutation, and adenocarcinoma arising in a tubulovillous adenoma in the colon, with BRAF mutation and mutL homolog 1 promoter methylation. The patient died 3 mo after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the 23rd reported case of collision tumor of colorectal adenocarcinoma and lymphoma. The mean age of the 23 patients was 73 years. The most common site was the cecum. There were 15 cases with follow-up data including 11 living and four dead with a 3-year overall survival rate of 71.5%.

CONCLUSION

Based on pathological and genetic analysis, surgery combined with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy may have good therapeutic effects for collision tumor.

[What to do in front of the association between colonic adenocarcinoma and lymphoma ?]

Synchronous presentation of a colonic adenocarcinoma and lymphoma is extremely rare. We describe here, the sixth observation of a marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, which was incidentally diagnosed in a 77-year-old patient, who was operated for adenocarcinoma of hepatic flexure. This case shows the importance to be aware of this rare association and highlights the dilemma of its management.

Synchronous colonic B cell lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in an elderly patient treated with R-mini-CHOP followed by resection

The simultaneous diagnosis of colonic lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in the same location is rare and presents challenges in its treatment considerations, especially in elderly patients. While previous cases have been described, there is little consistency in treatment regimens, and outcomes are generally poor. We describe the case of a man in his late 80s who presented with primary cecal and colonic B cell lymphoma, treated with R-mini-CHOP chemotherapy, but was found to have a residual adenocarcinoma in the cecum after treatment that was then successfully resected. The patient remains alive and well 3 years postoperation. This case highlights the need to consider lymphoma as a possible diagnosis for any colonic mass, and the need to consider rebiopsy of residual abnormal-appearing tissue postchemotherapy to confirm the diagnosis. Moreover, our report affirms that aggressive, curative-intent treatment with age-adjusted chemotherapy, and subsequent surgical resection is feasible for certain elderly patients with dual malignant diagnoses.

Synchronous adenocarcinoma and marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the colon. A case report

Introduction and importance

The association of colonic adenocarcinoma with lymphoma is a rare entity. The purpose of our presentation is to draw the attention of the endoscopist, and the surgeon, to the need to remove any suspicious lesions in the exploration for colorectal cancer. The pathologist should be warned about this association in the face of any unusual change in the lymphatic environment around an adenocarcinoma. In the slightest doubt, an immunohistochemistry (IHC) should be performed in order not to ignore this association.

Case presentation

A 77-year-old patient, who had adenocarcinoma of the right colic flexure, in whom a chance discovery of lymphoma was made intraoperatively. This combination was treated with chemotherapy targeting adenocarcinoma classified as pT4N1M0, ahead of the low-grade lymphoma malignancy. After two years, the patient presented with a recurrence as left lateral cervical lymphadenopathy and died in a picture of generalized paralysis.

Clinical discussion

Digestive lymphoma associated with adneocarcinoma is defined according to strict criteria according to DAWSON. It always precedes adenocarcinoma because it disrupts the subject's immunocompetence.

His diagnosis is suspected when the lymphatic environment around the adenocarcinoma is disturbed. The confirmation is assured with the IHC. Treatment should target the most aggressive cancer.

Conclusion

The synchronous colonic occurrence of a MALT-type lymphoma and an adenocarcinoma is rare but possible. The pathologist must be alert to its existence. Treatment depends on the tumor stage of the adenocarcinoma but also on the lymphoma and its grade and any therapeutic decision should only be made in a multidisciplinary meeting.

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Lymphoma by impairing the subject's immunocompetence could accelerate the malignant degeneration of an existing precancerous colonic lesion to an adenocarcinoma.

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Any erasure of the architecture of lymph nodes in the dissection specimen of colonic adenocarcinoma giving rise to suspicion of lymphomatous infiltration, should confirmed by immunohistochemical testing.

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If an association between colonic adenocarcinoma and lymphoma is encountred, the most aggressive and/or evoluted neoplasm must be targeted in priority.

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The first treatment of a digestive lymphomatous pathology associated with an adenocarcinoma can provoke general dissemination.

Secondary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the colon

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphomas most commonly occur in the stomach and have been associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. However, MALT-type lymphoma of the colon is a rare entity. It commonly manifests with symptoms of weight loss, low-grade fever, constipation, melena, and hematochezia. Unlike gastric lymphoma, it is difficult to detect MALT-type lymphoma of the colon by imaging. Colonoscopy may reveal lesions whose biopsy most commonly shows abundant B lymphocytes. There is no universal immunohistochemistry profile for MALT-type lymphoma but CD 20 staining is commonly seen. Trisomies and translocations have been described and their presence has been correlated with treatment response. Due to the rarity of colonic MALT-type lymphoma, no standard guidelines are available for its management. It often occurs individually and rarely occurs simultaneously with concurrent colon adenocarcinoma. This case report describes the presentation and clinical course of a secondary MALT-type lymphoma in a patient who underwent colectomy for a prior colon adenocarcinoma.

Simultaneous occurrence of colonic adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma: A series of three cases

Simultaneous development of adenocarcinoma and primary B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the colon is rare; only one case has so far been reported out of 13 cases with the coexistence of colonic adenocarcinoma with involvement of the colon by lymphoma. We hereby present three more cases, two females (aged 75 and 71 years) and a male (aged 72 years). All three underwent colectomy based on a preoperative biopsy revealing colonic carcinoma. Histological examination of the resection specimens disclosed a colonic adenocarcinoma in two cases, whereas a tubulovillous adenoma with superficial foci of intraepithelial adenocarcinoma was seen in the third case. Moreover, in all three cases, a coexisting MALT lymphoma was diagnosed in the colon (1 case), in both colon and adjacent lymph nodes (1 case) or in colonic lymph nodes and omentum (1 case). In the last case, a post-operative bone marrow biopsy revealed extensive infiltration of the bone marrow, due to which the patient received postoperative chemotherapy. Diagnostic and treatment issues are briefly discussed.