Benign mesenchymal tumours of the colon and rectum: a retrospective study

Sixteen patients were diagnosed as having a benign mesenchymal tumour of the colon of rectum at the Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, between 19 50 and 1979. There were six lipomas and ten leiomyomas. Lipomas occurred more commonly in the colon, while leiomyomas predominated in the rectum. The symptoms produced by the lipomas included abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and diarrhoea. Leiomyomas were found incidentally at sigmoidoscopy in six patients, while three presented with rectal bleeding and one with constipation. Lipomas were larger than leiomyomas and were associated with more complications. Both tumours, however, produced few physical signs.