Description
A short length of large bowel, showing an annular constricting carcinoma 2cm long. The tumour
appears to have penetrated the full thickness of the bowel wall.
History
This woman was admitted with acute bowel obstruction. She had been investigated by
laparoscopy and D & C for abdominal pain and irregular periods six months before. At operation,
she was found to have this lesion, as well as bilateral ovarian carcinomas which were regarded as
separate primary lesions although the possibility that they were secondary to the colonic tumour
could not be excluded. Approximately one year later she was in hospital with a respiratory infection
and pleural effusions. Some eight months later she presented with partial bowel obstruction. One
year later she presented with pulmonary embolism and recurrence of ovarian carcinoma; at
laparotomy there were numerous secondary deposits in the abdomen.