title: Silent ulcerative colitis adjacent to a regular sigmoid adenocarcinoma.
abstract: There have been studies trying to elucidate the large spectrum and the variety of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related colorectal cancer manifestations and natural history. A 57-year-old male patient underwent a regular screening colonoscopy in our department, which revealed a flat ulcerated mass in the sigmoid whereas the remaining bowel was normal on endoscopic appearance. Biopsies from the mass were compatible with sigmoid adenocarcinoma and the patient underwent left hemicolectomy. Pathology examination of the resected specimen also diagnosed ulcerative colitis adjacent to cancer. The otherwise healthy patient denied any history that could be related to IBD symptoms. Patient was started on 1.6 g of mesalazine and was advised to adhere to an endoscopic surveillance program. This case points toward a need for a more thorough understanding of the natural history of colorectal cancer in IBD to set clinically meaningful guidelines.
authors.affiliation: First Division of Internal Medicine, Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Katsanos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siozopoulou
authors.forename: Balasi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eufimia
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bali
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatouros
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mitsi
authors.forename: Epameinondas V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Tsianos
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001706:Biopsy; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery