A choriocarcinoma of the rectum is extremely rare and has a very poor prognosis. Its rarity and the obscurity of its histogenesis make the entity of disease hard to define. We report a case of a choriocarcinoma of the rectum which showed synchronous liver and lung metastasis. A 52-year- old male patient presented with tenesmus, hematochezia and pain on defecation for 4 months. The preoperative colonoscopy revealed a mass at the rectum, 3 cm proximal to the anal verge. The biopsy revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. An abdominoperineal resection was performed, and the pathologic examination confirmed a choriocarcinoma arising from an adenocarcinoma. Immunostain for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was strongly positive for the choriocarcinoma component. Serum hCG checked postoperatively was as high as 4,222 IU/L, but the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was normal. Although chemotherapy was begun at the 5th week after the operation, the patient died on the 47th day after the operation. A choriocarcinoma of the colon or the rectum is very rare and is aggressive. Although radical resection and chemotherapy are performed, the clinical outcome is very disappointing. Even though a choriocarcinoma of the colon or the rectum is very rare, it should be included on the list for differential diagnosis of a colorectal carcinoma.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Primary Rectal Tumor With Extensive Choriocarcinoma Differentiation in a Woman With Lung, Liver and Disseminated Peritoneal Disease: A Primary Rectal Adenocarcinoma With Extensive Choriocarcinoma Differentiation or Primary Rectal Choriocarcinoma? Isidro Machado, María del Carmen Martínez La Piedra, Fernando Martínez de Juan, Fernanda-Maia de Alcántara, Reyes Claramunt, José Antonio López-Guerrero, Ana Marhuenda, Marcos Melian International Journal of Surgical Pathology.2024; 32(5): 976. CrossRef
Histologic transformation of rectal adenocarcinoma to choriocarcinoma after surgery and chemotherapy: A rare case report and review of the literature Juan Zhong, Lei Yang International Journal of Surgery Case Reports.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Primary colon adenocarcinoma with choriocarcinoma differentiation: a case report and review of the literature Jessica Boyce, Karine Tawagi, John T. Cole Journal of Medical Case Reports.2020;[Epub] CrossRef
A Case of Ascending Colon Choriocarcinoma with Multiple Liver Metastases Koya YASUKAWA, Shinji NAKATA, Syusei SANO, Kei KUSAMA, Akihito NISHIO, Harutsugu SODEYAMA Nihon Rinsho Geka Gakkai Zasshi (Journal of Japan Surgical Association).2020; 81(8): 1563. CrossRef
Rare histologic types of rectal cancer: A monocentric cases series report A. Vallard, P. Diao, M.-A. Garcia, G. Pigné, N. Vial, F. Forest, M. Peoc’h, J. Langrand-Escure, N. Magné Cancer/Radiothérapie.2019; 23(1): 17. CrossRef
Primary Adenocarcinoma with Focal Choriocarcinomatous Differentiation in the Sigmoid Colon Sook Kyoung Oh, Hyung Wook Kim, Dae Hwan Kang, Cheol Woong Choi, Yu Yi Choi, Hong Kyu Lim, Ja Jun Goo, Sung Yeol Choi The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology.2015; 66(5): 291. CrossRef