Abstract
•Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the world.•Approximately, 0.8% of patients will present with skin lesion as the first sign of a silent internal malignancy as skin metastasis without visceral metastasis is rare in CRC.•A comprehensive literature review (including clinical features of patients, management, and outcome) covering all reported cases of cutaneous metastasis secondary to rectal cancer was included for better understanding of the disease.
Colorectal cancer is ranked third among the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and fourth among the leading causes of cancer death in the world. However, only a few case reports are found in the literature regarding skin metastasis originating from rectal cancer, which usually shows widespread disease and poor prognosis. Approximately, 0.8% of the patients will have skin lesion as the first indication of a silent internal malignancy, which is rare.
We report a complicated case of a 45-year-old male patient who referred to our highly specialized governmental hospital for diversion loop colostomy as well as biopsies of rectal and inguinal skin areas followed by palliative radiation therapy to the pelvis. Histopathological exam of rectal biopsies revealed moderately differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma, while the skin of the right inguinal area showed metastatic cutaneous rectal adenocarcinoma. Unfortunately, palliative radiation therapy was not started as the patient passed away secondary to respiratory failure which ended by cardiopulmonary arrest.
A patient who is having new or evolving skin lesions with an oncology history should be well investigated as cutaneous metastasis is a strong possibility.