Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the rectum

Year 2017, Volume: 34 Issue: 4, 275 - 278, 10.10.2019

Alparslan Serarslan , Nilgun Ozbek Okumus Filiz Karagoz Mehmet Selim Nural Bilge Gürsel Deniz Meydan

Abstract

Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) of the rectum is rare. Most patients have
metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. These malignancies have a worse
prognosis compared with conventional adenocarcinoma, and there is no stan-
dard treatment protocol. We report herein a case of NEC of the rectum with
a short survival. A 60-year-old female was admitted to the emergency service
with jaundice, abdominal pain, back pain and confusion, without a history of
rectal bleeding. The imaging studies showed a rectal tumor, abdominal lymph-
adenopathies, and multiple liver and vertebral metastases. Rectal biopsy was
performed. The histopathologic findings were consistent with those of NEC.
Palliative radiotherapy was planned for the spinal metastases, but the patient
died before completing radiotherapy, within 1 month from diagnosis. In con-
clusion, these neoplasms show a dramatic course, particularly in metastatic pa-
tients, and there is a clear need for studies involving larger numbers of colon
and rectum NEC patients. 

Keywords

Carcinoma, Case management, Neuroendocrine, Rare diseases, Rectum

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