A case report: Rectal endometriosis mimicking rectal cancer

Li-Juan Zhao, Lijuan Zhao, Yuan-He Wang, Yuanhe Wang, Jing-Dong Zhang, Jingdong Zhang
International journal of surgery case reports · 2018 · vol. 53 , pp. 137–139 · doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2018.10.021 · PMID:30391739 · PMC6216069 · W2898359988
article OA: gold CC0 ⤵ 6 in-corpus citations
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This case report describes a 36-year-old woman with rectal endometriosis mimicking rectal cancer, highlighting the diagnostic challenges and the need for adequate specimens for histopathological confirmation.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Rectal endometriosis is rare in women and imaging characteristics are similar with that of rectal cancer, which is one of the most common malignancies. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 36 years old woman with a suspicious diagnosis of cervical carcinoma in a tertiary hospital visited our hospital, complaining about vaginal bleeding after copulation for six months, accompanying with constipation and diameter-thinning stool. Vaginal and cervical biopsy only showed chronic inflammation. Colonoscopy found a mass at the rectum 4 cm from the anus, but the biopsy showed different diagnoses. Partial resection was eventually operated and the final diagnosis was confirmed as rectal endometriosis. DISCUSSION: Rectal endometriosis is prone to be misdiagnosed as rectal cancer. Small specimen is sometimes insufficient to make a correct diagnosis. Extensive examination should be done to confirm the diagnosis and rash decision should never be encouraging. CONCLUSION: Rectal endometriosis should always be considered as one of the differential diagnoses in female who have a mass at the rectum. An adequate specimen should be obtained to confirm the histopathological diagnosis.

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endometriosis

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