Abstract

Tuberculosis can involve any part of the body and there are case reports of tuberculosis coexisting with malignancy in most body organs. However, cases of intestinal tuberculosis associated with colon cancer have rarely reported. Inflammatory bowel diseases can progress to malignant diseases due to mucosal dysplastic change. Similarly, intestinal tuberculosis can cause chronic inflammation, but the exact relationship between intestinal tuberculosis and colon cancer is currently obscure. A 71-year-old woman visited our hospital because of abrupt right lower abdominal pain that progressed to rebound tenderness and abdominal rigidity. Abdominal computed tomography showed a polypoid mass in the cecum and a distended terminal ileum. Right hemicolectomy was performed and the surgical specimen revealed extremely well differentiated adenocarcinoma combined with intestinal tuberculosis and bowel perforation in the cecum. We report here on a rare case of colon cancer coexisting with colonic tuberculosis and this presented as bowel perforation. We also include a review of the relevant literature. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2009;38:270-274)

• Keywords: Bowel perforation, Colon cancer, Colonic tuberculosis, Extremely well differentiated adenocarcinoma