Carcinoma of colon presenting as fever of unknown origin. 2005

Nancy Agmon-Levin, and Nadia Ziv-Sokolovsky, and Philip Shull, and Zev M Sthoeger
Department of Internal Medicine B, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, and the Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is defined as fever of more than 38.3 degrees C, the cause of which remains elusive after 1 week of intensive investigation. Most cases of FUO are restricted to infections, malignancies, and inflammatory diseases. FUO was previously reported as the presenting symptom of a few solid tumors such as lymphoma, renal cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Colon carcinoma manifesting as FUO has been rarely reported. We describe three female patients who presented with classical FUO and microcytic anemia. As a control, we retrospectively evaluated 28 matched patients with carcinoma of colon and no fever. The evaluation included review of patient files, clinical and laboratory data, and pathologic specimens. In the three patients (mean age, 58 years) who presented with FUO and had left-sided colon carcinoma and microcytic anemia, pathologic evaluation of the tumor tissues demonstrated a severe organized inflammatory process forming abscesses in the pericolic fat. The 28 control matched patients showed no such histopathologic changes. In patients presenting with FUO, especially those who present with microcytic anemia, even with no bowel disturbances or elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels, diagnostic workup should include a search for occult colorectal carcinoma. In our three cases, it appears that microabscesses in the pericolic fat are the cause of fever.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D003106 Colon The segment of LARGE INTESTINE between the CECUM and the RECTUM. It includes the ASCENDING COLON; the TRANSVERSE COLON; the DESCENDING COLON; and the SIGMOID COLON. Appendix Epiploica,Taenia Coli,Omental Appendices,Omental Appendix,Appendices, Omental,Appendix, Omental
D003110 Colonic Neoplasms Tumors or cancer of the COLON. Cancer of Colon,Colon Adenocarcinoma,Colon Cancer,Cancer of the Colon,Colon Neoplasms,Colonic Cancer,Neoplasms, Colonic,Adenocarcinoma, Colon,Adenocarcinomas, Colon,Cancer, Colon,Cancer, Colonic,Cancers, Colon,Cancers, Colonic,Colon Adenocarcinomas,Colon Cancers,Colon Neoplasm,Colonic Cancers,Colonic Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Colon,Neoplasm, Colonic,Neoplasms, Colon
D005260 Female Females
D005335 Fever of Unknown Origin Fever in which the etiology cannot be ascertained. Unknown Origin Fever,Unknown Origin Fevers
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000230 Adenocarcinoma A malignant epithelial tumor with a glandular organization. Adenocarcinoma, Basal Cell,Adenocarcinoma, Granular Cell,Adenocarcinoma, Oxyphilic,Adenocarcinoma, Tubular,Adenoma, Malignant,Carcinoma, Cribriform,Carcinoma, Granular Cell,Carcinoma, Tubular,Adenocarcinomas,Adenocarcinomas, Basal Cell,Adenocarcinomas, Granular Cell,Adenocarcinomas, Oxyphilic,Adenocarcinomas, Tubular,Adenomas, Malignant,Basal Cell Adenocarcinoma,Basal Cell Adenocarcinomas,Carcinomas, Cribriform,Carcinomas, Granular Cell,Carcinomas, Tubular,Cribriform Carcinoma,Cribriform Carcinomas,Granular Cell Adenocarcinoma,Granular Cell Adenocarcinomas,Granular Cell Carcinoma,Granular Cell Carcinomas,Malignant Adenoma,Malignant Adenomas,Oxyphilic Adenocarcinoma,Oxyphilic Adenocarcinomas,Tubular Adenocarcinoma,Tubular Adenocarcinomas,Tubular Carcinoma,Tubular Carcinomas
D000273 Adipose Tissue Specialized connective tissue composed of fat cells (ADIPOCYTES). It is the site of stored FATS, usually in the form of TRIGLYCERIDES. In mammals, there are two types of adipose tissue, the WHITE FAT and the BROWN FAT. Their relative distributions vary in different species with most adipose tissue being white. Fatty Tissue,Body Fat,Fat Pad,Fat Pads,Pad, Fat,Pads, Fat,Tissue, Adipose,Tissue, Fatty
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D018784 Abdominal Abscess An abscess located in the abdominal cavity, i.e., the cavity between the diaphragm above and the pelvis below. (From Dorland, 27th ed) Abscess, Abdominal,Abscess, Intra-Abdominal,Abdominal Abscesses,Abscess, Intra Abdominal,Abscesses, Abdominal,Abscesses, Intra-Abdominal,Intra-Abdominal Abscess,Intra-Abdominal Abscesses

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