Colliding / concomitant tumors of the intestine: report of 3 cases

Collision/concomitant tumors of the intestine involving lymphomas are very rare. For these cases molecular genetic analyses are valuable diagnostic adjuncts. We report one collision tumor of the rectum (adenocarcinoma and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified), and two cases of concomitant tumors (carcinoma in the cecum and lymphoma in the ileum; carcinoma in the sigmoid and lymphoma in the ileum). The collision tumor (poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and a peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified) showed a variable proportion of the anaplastic tumor cells expressing lymphatic markers as well as cytokeratin. Only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealing T-cell monoclonality of the anaplastic part of the colliding tumor allowed the correct diagnosis. In the second case, a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in the cecum with a concomitant B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the ileum, PCR analysis was non contributory. In the third case (adenocarcinoma in the sigmoid colon and a follicular center lymphoma in the ileum) PCR analysis revealed gene rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. We would like to emphasize that collision and concomitant tumors of the gut are rare and that molecular genetic analysis may be mandatory for correct diagnosis. It is our impression, that these tumors may be diagnosed more often in the intestinal tract if molecular genetic analysis and immunohistochemistry are used routinely, at least for all anaplastic tumors.