Multiple foci of Rosai-Dorfman disease in colon: a case report

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is an uncommon proliferative histiocytic disorder involving lymph nodes and various organs. Forty-three percent of RDD cases originate from extranodal sites; however, RDD rarely arises from the colon.

A 75-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of intra-abdominal masses that were incidentally detected during surveillance by computed tomography (CT) after treatment for lung cancer. Enhanced CT showed two mass lesions located in the cecum to the appendix (diameter, 40 mm) and around the sigmoid colon (diameter, 24 mm). Positron emission tomography (PET)-CT revealed an apparent uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose. Intraluminal endoscopy did not reveal definite mucosal abnormalities. These findings suggest the presence of malignant neoplasms including gastrointestinal stromal tumors, lung cancer metastasis, and malignant lymphoma. Exploratory laparoscopy and/or tumor excision were planned to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Based on laparoscopic findings, ileocecal resection and sigmoidectomy were simultaneously performed to excise the tumors. Postoperative histopathological examination revealed multiple RDD originating from the mesocolon side of the cecum and the sigmoid colon. The patient did not receive any adjuvant therapy. No recurrence was observed one year after surgery.

RDD originating from the colon is extremely rare. Tumor extirpation or organ resection is sometimes required to obtain a definitive diagnosis of RDD, and minimally invasive surgery is helpful.