Endometriosis of The Sigmoid Colon Mimicking Colon Cancer

Abstract

ABSTRACT Endometriosis is one of the most common benign gynecological disorders in women of reproductive age. Intestinal involvement occurs in 3 to 37 percent of patients with pelvic endometriosis, usually affecting the rectosigmoid colon. Sometimes, the differential diagnosis of colorectal endometriosis from carcinoma of the colon and rectum is difficult due to similar colonoscopic and radiologic findings. We report a case of a 45-year-old woman presenting with intraabdominal mass and symptoms of bowel obstruction due to colonic endometriosis. An uneventful anterior resection of the sigmoid colon was performed. Histopathological examination of the resected colon revealed colonic endometriosis. This case demonstrates the difficulty of establishing an accurate pre-operative diagnosis and the ability of intestinal endometriosis to mimic colon cancer.