Adenocarcinoma of colon in a child

The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the colon in juvenile subjects usually poses a difficult problem due to its clinical presentation, which usually mimics disorders that are commonly found in children. This article presents the case of a 13-year-old boy who was admitted 2 weeks earlier to another hospital, where his condition was not recognized. He presented with abdominal signs and symptoms suggestive of diseases such as gastroenteritis, appendicitis, and intussusception which are common in this age group. The x-ray film showed dilated loops of small bowel and the proximal portion of colon, suggesting intestinal obstruction. At surgery, a 4 X 4 cm tumor in the transverse colon was resected. Microscopically, the lesion showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with foci of mucin production.