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Case Reports
. 2011 Feb 15:2011:bcr1020103426.
doi: 10.1136/bcr.10.2010.3426.

Carcinoma arising within an anal gland

M A Zeiton  1 , B C Knight, Y N Khaled, R Green, N Mapstone, K Riyad
Affiliations
Case Reports

Carcinoma arising within an anal gland

M A Zeiton et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Anal gland carcinoma (AGC) is rare, and its innocuous presentation and developing immunohistochemical profile make the diagnosis of it challenging. Predominant presenting symptoms include anal pain, rectal bleeding and the presence of a perianal mass in advanced stages of the disease. Histological profile commonly reveals an intramural adenocarcinoma with normal unaffected overlying anorectal mucosa. Immunohistochemical analysis shows positive staining for cytokeratin (CK) 7 and negative staining for CK20. MUC5AC expression with CK5/6 and p53 negativity has been reported. The authors report a case of a 68-year-old woman with a rapidly advancing AGC and review the current literature with respect to diagnosis and current consensus on therapeutic management.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Retroflexed view of the rectum during flexible sigmoidoscopy. Inflammatory lesion is shown at the anorectal junction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
H&E staining showing adenocarcinoma with normal overlying squamous epithelium.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Adenocarcinoma staining positive for CK7.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Adenocarcinoma staining negative for CK20.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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