Cutaneous metastases of rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma mimicking granuloma inguinale

Waist subcutaneous soft tissue metastasis of rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is a rare pathological type of rectal cancer with unique pathological features and a poor prognosis. It is difficult to diagnose and treat early because of the lack of specific manifestations in some aspects of the disease. The common metastatic organs of rectal cancer are the liver and lung; however, rectal carcinoma with metastasis to subcutaneous soft tissue is a rare finding.

CASE SUMMARY

In this report, the clinical data, diagnosis and treatment process, and postoperative pathological features of a patient with left waist subcutaneous soft tissue masses were retrospectively analyzed. The patient underwent surgical treatment after admission and recovered well after surgery. The final pathological diagnosis was rectal MAC with left waist subcutaneous soft tissue metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Subcutaneous soft tissue metastasis of rectal MAC is rare, and it can suggest that the tumor is disseminated, and it can appear even earlier than the primary malignant tumor, which is occult and leads to a missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis clinically. When a subcutaneous soft tissue mass of unknown origin appears in a patient with rectal cancer, a malignant tumor should be considered.

Peristomal adenocarcinoma 16 years after colorectal adenocarcinoma resection with curative intent

Metachronous colorectal cancer is relatively rare, occurring in 0.7-3.6% of patients diagnosed with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Cutaneous metastases are similarly a rare presentation, occurring in <6% of metastatic colorectal cancer patients. Even more rare are the cutaneous recurrences at the peristomal site. Clinically, it is difficult to distinguish between metachronous cancer and cutaneous metastases. This paper reports a case of an elderly woman presenting with a slowly progressing peristomal cutaneous lesion 16 years after surgical resection for colorectal cancer. Core punch biopsy revealed a cutaneous localization of an intestinal type of adenocarcinoma. A surgical resection of the peristomal area was carried out whereby a new colostomy was created on the contralateral side. Definite histopathological examination showed a superficially located intestinal type adenocarcinoma with extensive pagetoid spread in the epidermal surface. In conclusion, it is important to remain alert and strive for early detection for cutaneous abnormalities following colorectal cancer.

First Case of Topical 5-FU Therapy for Cutaneous Metastasis in a Patient with Colon Cancer

Cutaneous metastasis from colon cancer is rare, occurs in less than 6% of patients and its associated with poor prognosis. Most often it presents in the abdomen, inguinal or perineal regions, supraclavicular area, and less commonly on the face, neck, scalp, and prior surgical sites. We present a case of a 41-year-old female with colon cancer who developed cutaneous metastases to the scalp, and was treated with topical 5-FU and radiation therapy. Treatment options for cutaneous metastases usually include systemic therapy, topical chemotherapy, surgical excision, or radiation. Our case is probably the first report who was treated with topical 5-FU in addition to radiation therapy. This treatment modality is easy to use and we would recommend clinical trials to be conducted to further study the use of topical 5-FU.

A cutaneous metastasis of unresectable rectal adenocarcinoma: A case report and literature review

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the world.

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Approximately, 0.8% of patients will present with skin lesion as the first sign of a silent internal malignancy as skin metastasis without visceral metastasis is rare in CRC.

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A comprehensive literature review (including clinical features of patients, management, and outcome) covering all reported cases of cutaneous metastasis secondary to rectal cancer was included for better understanding of the disease.

Background

Colorectal cancer is ranked third among the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and fourth among the leading causes of cancer death in the world. However, only a few case reports are found in the literature regarding skin metastasis originating from rectal cancer, which usually shows widespread disease and poor prognosis. Approximately, 0.8% of the patients will have skin lesion as the first indication of a silent internal malignancy, which is rare.

Case report

We report a complicated case of a 45-year-old male patient who referred to our highly specialized governmental hospital for diversion loop colostomy as well as biopsies of rectal and inguinal skin areas followed by palliative radiation therapy to the pelvis. Histopathological exam of rectal biopsies revealed moderately differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma, while the skin of the right inguinal area showed metastatic cutaneous rectal adenocarcinoma. Unfortunately, palliative radiation therapy was not started as the patient passed away secondary to respiratory failure which ended by cardiopulmonary arrest.

Conclusion

A patient who is having new or evolving skin lesions with an oncology history should be well investigated as cutaneous metastasis is a strong possibility.

Interesting Case of Skin Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer and Review of Literature

Skin metastasis is a complication rarely seen after curative resection for colorectal cancer and chemotherapy. The article describes a metachronous case of skin metastasis after curative resection. This article is presented to illustrate that genetic and molecular profiling of carcinoma is a must for diagnosis of aggressive biological behavior and that skin metastasis is usually a harbinger of adverse outcome.

Cutaneous Metastasis of Rectal Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review

Cutaneous metastasis of rectal cancer is rare. It typically indicates widespread disease and poor prognosis. We report an exceedingly rare case of rectal cancer with metastasis to the skin and review the literature on cutaneous metastasis of rectal cancer. A 47-year-old man presented with stage IV unresectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum and received palliative chemoradiation for local pain control. About a year later he developed extensive skin lesions involving the genital area, bilateral groin, and perineum. Biopsy specimen showed mucinous adenocarcinoma compatible with rectal origin. Palliative treatment with radiation therapy was initiated. The patient responded well to treatment and is still alive more than a year after diagnosis of cutaneous metastasis. Surgeons should maintain strong suspicion of cutaneous metastases when patients with rectal cancer have new or evolving skin lesions.

Mucin as a diagnostic clue in dermatopathology

Mucins are high-molecular weight glycoproteins typically found in normal skin in small amounts. There are several reports regarding different types of cutaneous mucinosis. In this report, we discuss mucins in dermatopathology as a diagnostic clue of some well-known entities and some less frequent cutaneous diseases. We also emphasize mucin as a sign in the differential diagnosis between conditions that show histopathological overlap. Lastly, we discuss the locations and circumstances in which mucin could be considered almost normal or physiological.