Advanced colon cancer coexisting with multiple Osteochondromatosis in a child; coincidence or causality? - A case...

Childhood colorectal cancers are extremely rare and so is Osteochondromatosis. Both diseases do not have epidemiological records in African countries. The aim of this report is to present a rare coexistence of CRC and multiple enchondromas in a child.

A case of a 12-year-old boy who presented with a large bowel obstruction secondary to an advanced tumor of the descending colon. He was also diagnosed with multiple osteochondromas affecting legs, arms, ribs, scapula, clavicle and pelvis. No positive family history was recorded. An urgent left hemicolectomy and diverting transverse colostomy was done. The colon can as stage IIIB and the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. After 8 months of follow up, the colostomy was successfully reversed without any endoscopic signs of tumor growth or distant metastasis.

Colorectal cancer in childhood is rare. It may present with aggressive histological subtypes in children as compared to adults. There is little to no reports on the coexistence of colorectal cancer and multiple Osteochondromatosis. Microsatellite instability in DNA tumor is common in Colon Cancer and variety of mutations of EXT-1 and EXT-2 genes goes with Enchondromatosis.

The coexistence of two rare conditions is the remarkable issue in this case report. There are no prior reports in literature. Further genomic sequencing maybe required to better understand this coexistence.