title: Giant tubular adenoma with malignancy clinical characteristics in a female teenager: Case report and a review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adenomas of the colon are usually benign tumors which carry a tendency for malignancy. These tumors can be villous, tubular, tubulovillous, or sessile serrated. Those with adenomatous structure can develop malignant characteristics in 1.5% to 9.4% of cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case report of a 16-year-old female adolescent with an adenoma of the descending colon. History revealed prolonged diarrheic syndrome for the past 6 months, repeated headache, and a weight loss of ∼5 kg in the past month. One week before the admission, the patient presented an episode of inferior digestive hemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On admission laboratory tests revealed iron deficiency anemia, and a mildly increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The abdominal ultrasound revealed an inhomogeneous mass of the descending colon and 2 hyperechoic lesions in the liver. The colonoscopy showed a tumor of the descending colon, a tubular adenoma according to the pathological examination. Additionally, we noted an atypical presentation of the tumor and the signs of mild dysplasia identified at the pathological examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight loss, bowel transit alterations, loss of appetite, and inferior hemorrhage in an adolescent can be symptoms of a benign or malignant tumor of the colon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics I Department of Radiology Department of Pediatrics II, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Tîrgu Mureş, Romania.
authors.forename: Cristina Oana
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Mărginean
authors.forename: Maria Oana
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Mărginean
authors.forename: Iunius
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Simu
authors.forename: Adrienne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: Lorena Elena
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Meliţ
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans