Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Colon

Abstract

Overall, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women, meaning that it is one of the more widely recognized preventable cancers. Instances of colorectal malignancies though are overwhelmingly attributable to adenocarcinoma. Colorectal cancers with components of squamous cell carcinoma represent a statistical anomaly. Here, we present the case of a 50-year-old male, who complained of abdominal pain and weight loss over a 3-month period of time. Biopsies from a colonoscopy ultimately revealed that this patient's colon cancer consisted of both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, representing a truly exceptional pathology finding in a patient diagnosed with a colorectal cancer.

Keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Adenosquamous carcinoma; Colon cancer; Squamous cell carcinoma.

Fig. 1

CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast showing multiple hepatic ring-enhancing lesions on the right and left liver lobe (yellow arrow).

Fig. 2

Diagnostic colonoscopy revealing a 5-cm hepatic flexure mass.

Fig. 3

Colon mass biopsies (hematoxylin and eosin stain, 40× magnification) showing solid nests of squamous components (yellow arrow) with underlying glandular and tubular structures (white arrow) signifying the adenomatous component.