title: Squamous cell carcinoma of the middle rectum: Report of a case and literature overview.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) of the middle rectum is a rare disease with an estimated incidence of 0.1-0.25/1000 colorectal neoplasms. Literature is represented essentially by case report and short series, and only seventy-six cases of colorectal squamous carcinoma have been documented in literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a SCC of the middle rectum, associated to an ureteral inverted papilloma, occurred in a patient with a past history of prostate cancer treated with prostatectomy and radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colorectal squamous-cell carcinoma is a rare disease. This localization is more frequent than the right colon, but no more epidemiological informations are actually available apart from a slight predominance of the female sex. Risk factors for SCC of the rectum are unknown and many hypotheses have been evocated. Because of its rarity, the interpretation of available information is clouded by a lack of uniformity in diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of SCC remains very challenging, and the acquisition of more consistent data is needed.
authors.affiliation: Second General Surgery, Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Careggi Teaching Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scaringi
authors.affiliation: Second General Surgery, Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Careggi Teaching Hospital, Florence, Italy. Electronic address: bisognifelice@libero.it.
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bisogni
authors.affiliation: Second General Surgery, Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Careggi Teaching Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Messerini
authors.affiliation: Second General Surgery, Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Careggi Teaching Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bechi
keywords: Middle rectum; Radiotherapy; Squamous cell carcinoma; Synchronous ureteral tumor