Colon cancer disguised as intussusception in a young adult: A case report

Background

Intussusception is exceedingly rare in adults and is often unthought off as a differential diagnosis for abdominal pain. Here, we describe the case of intussusception in a young female unveiling colon adenocarcinoma.

Case presentation

A 36-year-old female, previously healthy, presented for abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea of 2 days duration. The patient was initially treated for Amebiasis. She sought medical care the next day with tenesmus and lancinating abdominal pain, leading to hospitalization for further work-up. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an obstruction of the large bowel with dilation of the transverse colon reaching 6 cm. The obstruction was caused by a collapsed, intussuscepted descending colon, with mesenteric fat and vessels telescoped into its lumen along with a 3.7 cm wall thickening. She was scheduled for surgical repair.

Conclusion

A well-timed CT scan is necessary for favorable patient outcomes. Due to their rare occurrence in young adults, intussusception and colon cancer, could potentially go undiagnosed.