Cutaneous metastasis of colon adenocarcinoma: case report and review of\nthe literature
An 80-year-old male presented at the outpatient clinic with a growing mass on the\nabdominal skin. (). On clinical\nexamination, a diffuse erythematous multinodular cauliflower-like lesion was evident,\nwith satellite nodules located in the periumbilical and lower abdominal region. A zone\nof pink indurated erythema surrounded the central mass. A large scar was evident at the\nbase of the mass suggesting previous abdominal surgery and possible initial eruption of\nthe mass on the scarred site.\nThe patient had a history of colorectal adenocarcinoma. He was initially hospitalized\nfor hematochezia 12 months previously. Colonoscopy showed a cauliflower-like mass at the\nright flexure of the colon, and various polyps. A right hemi-colectomy was performed and\nhistopathology showed a mucinous adenocarcinoma, with vascular and lymphatic emboli. No\ndistant metastasis was found. The adenocarcinoma was staged T3N1M0. A month later, the\npatient started receiving 5-fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy for six months.\nFour months after the first cycle of chemotherapy was concluded, a chest X-ray was\nperformed. This revealed shadows at the base of the right lung. It was interpreted by\nthe radiologists as a possible spread of the known adenocarcinoma.\nWe obtained a biopsy specimen of the abdominal lesion. On microscopic examination the\ndermis was infiltrated by a number of adenomatous glands with obvious atypia and\nmucinous content, which was consistent with a metastatic focus of the known mucinous\ncolon adenocarcinoma ( and ).\nComputerized axial tomography was unremarkable with the exception of the right lung\nshadow.\nThe patient is currently receiving his second cycle of chemotherapy and is in good\noverall condition.