[Colonic carcinoma localized in the chest in enterothorax due to congenital diaphragmatic hernia]

A 51-year-old man with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and enterothorax was found to have persisting leucocytosis (25,000/microliters), diarrhoea and weight loss (20 kg). Computed tomography (CT) revealed intrahepatic space-occupying lesions. CT-directed needle biopsy demonstrated adenocarcinoma metastases. Colon contrast enema was ambiguous. Since no primary tumour had been found, ambulatory treatment with 5-fluorouracil was started. After initial improvement diarrhoea and obstipation alternated so that the patient finally gave permission for coloscopy to which he had not consented at first. It revealed a carcinoma of the colon located in the thorax about 10 cm oral to the left colonic flexure. Progressive ileus necessitated an ileodescendostomy for palliation. The patient died three months later while on symptomatic treatment.