Endoscopy 2002; 34(9): 738-741
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-33564
Case Report

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Superficial Depressed-Type Cancer Monitored by Colonoscopy through the Early Phase of Invasion

Y.  Baba 1 , Y.  Suzuki 1 , M.  Kobayashi 1 , M.  Azumaya 1 , M.  Takeuchi 1 , K.  Shioji 1 , T.  Honma 2 , R.  Narisawa 2 , Y.  Ajioka 3 , H.  Asakura 1
  • 1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Cellular Function, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
  • 2Division of Gastroenterological Infection, Department of Infectious Disease Control and International Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
  • 3Division of Molecular and Functional Pathology, Department of Cellular Function, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Submitted: 16 March 2002

Accepted after Revision: 16 April 2002

Publication Date:
26 August 2002 (online)

Although previous retrospective reports have demonstrated the developmental course of several colorectal tumors, the natural history and progression of depressed carcinoma, especially in the early stage, remains obscure. We report a case of superficial depressed tumor in the transverse colon in a 71-year-old man, which did not change in size and gross configuration through prospective colonoscopic observation over a period of 19 months but which was finally diagnosed as early-stage submucosal invasive cancer. Most depressed cancers have been supposed to arise de novo and grow rapidly, showing aggressive behavior when 10 mm or less in size. However, this case report may suggest that even a depressed tumor may grow to approximately 10 mm within the mucosal layer over a few years and that the growth of colorectal tumors, whether they are polypoid or depressed in configuration, might be fairly slow.

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Y. Suzuki, M.D.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology · Department of Cellular Function · Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences

1-757 Asahimachi-dori · Niigata 951-8510 · Japan

Fax: + 81-25-2270776

Email: sanmac@med.niigata-u.ac.jp

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