Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma of the Colon during Pregnancy

Abstract

A rare case of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the cecum in a pregnant woman is described. A 32-year-old Korean woman was diagnosed as having an abdominal tumor immediately after giving birth. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a smooth mass measuring 10 cm in diameter on the right side of the abdomen. Acute abdomen developed 3 days after birth. At emergency surgery, volvulus of a polypoid tumor was detected at the cecum apart from the normal appendix. We successfully performed a tumorectomy; however, histopathological examination demonstrated mucinous adenocarcinoma with a massive blood clot.

Fig. 1

Abdominal CT demonstrated a low-density, encapsulated, thin-walled mass.

Fig. 2

a Giant volvulus tumor originating from the cecal wall. b After resection of the tumor. c Schematic representation of b. The tumor stalk was away from the appendix and uterus. a = Appendix, u = uterus, c = cecum, t = tumor stalk.

Fig. 3

Resected specimen showing the encapsulated cystic mass.

Fig. 4

Histological examination demonstrated that the tumor was a mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (H&E, ×100).