Colon Metastasis From Microscopic Serous Carcinoma of the Fallopian Tube Fimbria Mimicking a Primary Colon Cancer

Int J Surg Pathol. 2019 Jun;27(4):390-395. doi: 10.1177/1066896918824028. Epub 2019 Jan 20.

Abstract

Metastatic diseases rarely develop in the colorectum, and diagnosing colorectal metastasis by biopsy without history of a malignant tumor or clinical information of a primary tumor is challenging. A 65-year-old woman with a 6-month history of constipation and diarrhea was admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with rectosigmoid colonic micropapillary carcinoma. Low anterior resection was performed after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Because the lipoleiomyoma in the uterus obstructed the operator's vision, total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. Examination of the colon and adnexa, together with immunohistochemical studies, revealed that the colonic tumor was actually serous carcinoma that had metastasized from the left fimbria of the fallopian tube. Retrospective immunohistochemical examination of the colon biopsy specimen suggested carcinoma with a Müllerian immunophenotype. When a colon biopsy reveals carcinoma with an invasive micropapillary pattern without a component of conventional tubular adenocarcinoma, immunohistochemical examination should be performed to rule out the possibility of metastasis.

Keywords: colonic biopsy; colonic metastasis; colorectal cancer; fallopian tube carcinoma; high-grade serous carcinoma; rectal cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biopsy
  • Colon / diagnostic imaging
  • Colon / pathology*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / secondary
  • Colonoscopy
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / diagnosis*
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / pathology
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / secondary
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Fallopian Tubes / diagnostic imaging
  • Fallopian Tubes / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed