Hardin RE, Ferzli GS, Zenilman ME, Gadangi PK, Bowne WB. Invasive amebiasis and ameboma formation presenting as a rectal mass: An uncommon case of malignant masquerade at a western medical center. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13(42): 5659-5661 [PMID: 17948943 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i42.5659]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Wilbur B Bowne, MD, SUNY Health Science Center @ Brooklyn, Department of Surgery, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States. wbbowne@earthlink.net
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2007; 13(42): 5659-5661 Published online Nov 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i42.5659
Invasive amebiasis and ameboma formation presenting as a rectal mass: An uncommon case of malignant masquerade at a western medical center
Rosemarie E Hardin, George S Ferzli, Michael E Zenilman, Pratap K Gadangi, Wilbur B Bowne
Rosemarie E Hardin, Michael E Zenilman, Wilbur B Bowne, Department of Surgery, The State University of New York, Health Science Center of Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States
George S Ferzli, Pratap K Gadangi, Department of Surgery, Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States
George S Ferzli, Department of Surgery, SUNY-Health Science Center of Brooklyn, United States
Pratap K Gadangi, Department of Surgery, Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn NY 11203, United States
Wilbur B Bowne, Department of Surgery, Department of Veteran's Affairs, New York Harbor Health Care System, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Wilbur B Bowne, MD, SUNY Health Science Center @ Brooklyn, Department of Surgery, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11203, United States. wbbowne@earthlink.net
Telephone: +1-718-2701421 Fax: +1-718-6303706
Received: June 15, 2007 Revised: August 21, 2007 Accepted: October 14, 2007 Published online: November 14, 2007
Abstract
A 54-year-old man presented with rectal pain and bleeding secondary to ulcerated, necrotic rectal and cecal masses that resembled colorectal carcinoma upon colonoscopy. These masses were later determined to be benign amebomas caused by invasive Entamoeba histolytica, which regressed completely with medical therapy. In Western countries, the occurrence of invasive protozoan infection with formation of amebomas is very rare and can mistakenly masquerade as a neoplasm. Not surprisingly, there have been very few cases reported of this clinical entity within the United States. Moreover, we report a patient that had an extremely rare occurrence of two synchronous lesions, one involving the rectum and the other situated in the cecum. We review the current literature on the pathogenesis of invasive E. histolytica infection and ameboma formation, as well as management of this rare disease entity at a western medical center.
