title: Anaerobic liver abscesses as initial presentation of silent colonic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rarely, multiple liver abscesses caused by anaerobic organisms are the presenting form of unsuspected colonic cancer in the absence of liver metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 68-year-old man was admitted with abdominal pain, fever and chills. Imaging scans and repeated cytology yielded a diagnosis of multiple liver abscesses. Pus cultures grew Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Bacteroides melaninogenicus and Peptostreptococcus spp. A search for the underlying cause led to the discovery of an adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon. After a 12-month postoperative follow-up, the patient is free of hepatic metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anaerobic liver abscesses should always alert the clinician to possible silent colonic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Service of General Surgery, Hospital San Agustín, Avilés, Spain. josealvar@telecable.es
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Baldonedo
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Bear
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jorge