title: Recurrent colorectal carcinoma detected by routine cervicovaginal papanicolaou smear testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We present a case of recurrent colon cancer detected by routine, annual Papanicolaou screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 59-year-old African American woman who had been treated for T2N0M0 (stage II, Dukes A) colon cancer 2 years before to presentation had a Pap smear showing a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion with a normal cervical biopsy result. Because of this discrepancy, a loop electrosurgical excision procedure and endocervical curettage were performed and showed atypical glandular cells suspicious for adenocarcinoma. Subsequent colonoscopy showed recurrent adenocarcinoma of the colon. The patient underwent an en-block total abdominal hysterectomy and anterior-perineal resection showing invasion of recurrent colon cancer into the uterus and cervix.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with a history of extrauterine adenocarcinoma, abnormal Pap screening may indicate recurrent or metastatic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Mercer University School of Medicine and Memorial Health University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Savannah, GA 31404, USA. alex_j_childs@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Alex J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Childs
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Michelle Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Check
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Gallup
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis