A rare case of ascending colon actinomycosis mimicking cancer.
BACKGROUND
Actinomycosis is a rare inflammatory disease caused by an anaerobic bacterium that can rarely affect the large intestine.


METHODS
We present a rare case of a cecum and ascending colon actinomycosis in a 72 years old woman, mimicking clinically a malignant inflammatory tumor of the right colon. The patient complained of right lower quadrant pain. Although our first thought was a peri-appendiceal abscess, CT scan suggested a right colon tumor. The patient underwent a right colectomy and the histological examination of the specimen revealed colon actinomycosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative diagnosis in colon actinomycosis is difficult to achieve. Treatment of choice is antibiotics administration. A review of the possible pathogenesis and therapeutic modalities is also presented.
Filippou
Dimitrios
D
Department of Surgery, GP Hospital of Piraeus Tzanion, Tzani & Afentouli str, Pireaus-Athens, Greece. d_filippou@hotmail.com
Psimitis
Ioannis
I
Zizi
Diamanto
D
Rizos
Spiros
S
D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D003082:Colectomy; D044682:Colon, Ascending / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed