Carcinoma in the residual rectum of a long-standing Crohn's disease patient following subtotal colectomy: A case report.

ABSTRACT

The development of colorectal cancer in long-standing Crohn's disease (CD) patients has become a major complication. Therapeutic guidelines for CD-associated cancer (CDAC) have already been established in Western countries; however, specific guidelines are not currently available in Japan. Surveillance of the residual intestine for cancer screening is important for long-standing CD patients. The present case report describes the occurrence of rectal carcinoma in a patient with a 25-year history of CD. A 37-year-old male with a 17-year history of CD underwent semi-emergent subtotal colectomy and ileostomy for bowel obstruction secondary to the transverse colon stenosis, and multiple severe stenosis and inflammation. Postoperatively, the patient resumed pharmacological treatment and underwent follow-up colonoscopies at ~1-2-year intervals. Despite continued pharmacological treatment, inflammation continued in the residual rectum. A total of 8 years following the primary operation, colonoscopy revealed inflammatory polyposis at the remnant rectum, which was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma. The interval between the last colonoscopy was 16 months. The patient then underwent laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection, and remained without recurrence for 12 months following resection. Thus, in long-standing CD patients, annual colonoscopy of the residual intestine may be considered for cancer screening, and specific surveillance guidelines for CDAC should be established.