title: [Composite tumor of the colon with liver metastases].
abstract: Colonic composite tumors are uncommon masses composed of endo- and exocrine cells. Treatment is similar to that of adenocarcinomas. We report the case of a 44-year-old woman who consulted for abdominal pain. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a tumor at the splenic flexure bowel and 2 hepatic nodules, suggesting metastases. Preoperative biopsies confirmed an adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent surgery, which confirmed the CT findings. Extended right colectomy was performed, followed by an ileal-sigmoid anastomosis, resection of a diaphragm segment, and resection of both hepatic metastases. The patient made a good postoperative recovery. Histological analysis showed moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma combined with a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma and metastases in 25 of 28 lymph nodes. The 2 hepatic metastases showed areas of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma. The patient is currently asymptomatic and is undergoing chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, División de Cirugía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta 367, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Butte
authors.forename: Javiera
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zúñiga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed