佐藤 美信

We reviewed 7 cases of clinical record with preoperative chemo-radiotherapy to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the chemo-radiotherapy for T4 rectal cancer. The preoperative radiation therapy consisted of 40-45 Gy delivered in fractions of 1.8-2.0 Gy per day, five days a week. A treatment of 5-fluorouracil, 500 mg/body per day intravenously, or oral UFT-E (300 mg/m2) with l-leucovorin (75 mg) per day, or oral S-1 (80 mg/m2) per day five days a week, was given during radiotherapy. Grade 1 or 2 adverse effects occurred in 3 patients during chemo-radiotherapy, but the completion of chemo-radiotherapy was achieved in all of the 7 patients. Tumor invasion identified by CT and MRI to other organs in the pelvis disappeared in four cases with complete or partial response after a month of chemo-radiotherapy. Although the other organs were also removed during surgery in 4 patients, curative surgery was performed in 5 patients. There was no histological invasion seen to other organs in 4 patients, and one patient had histological complete disappearance of tumor. Although complications after surgery were found in all of the patients, they were improved by conservative treatment. One of 4 patients with curative surgery had liver and local recurrence, but others survived without recurrence. Preoperative chemo-radiotherapy was expected to be a safe and effective treatment to improve the resection rate and prognosis for T4 rectal cancer.

Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the large bowel is a rare condition known as having a poor prognosis. We report herein a case of a patient with a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in the ascending colon with peritoneal dissemination who survived more than eleven years thanks to adjuvant chemotherapy. A 53 year-old woman with continuous diarrhea was referred to our hospital. Physical examination revealed a fist-sized mass in the right lower quadrant. Barium enema study and colonoscopy showed an ascending colon tumor. Abdominal computed tomography showed extensive ascites and masses besides the ascending colon and in the upper abdomen. Laparotomy confirmed dissemination to the peritoneum, the pouch of Douglas and the omentum. Right hemicolectomy was performed and two masses of the omentum were removed in a palliative intent. Twenty mg of mitomicin C were given intraperitoneally. The resected specimen revealed an ulcerated hard mass 5 x 5 cm in size with unclear margin. Histology showed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with dissemination to the omentum. A continuous infusion of 3000 mg of 5-fluorouracil per 48 hours was given weekly for four weeks followed by 450 mg of oral UFT-E (Uracil:Tegafur) per day as post-operative chemotherapy. The postoperative course was uneventful. Although she underwent removal of a breast cancer eight years after the operation for colon cancer, no sign of tumor progression has been observed for 132 months since the initial operation, by taking UFT-E without any adverse events. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2008, 71, 321-324).

Background The conventional double-stapling technique (DST) using a standard linear stapler horizontally is sometimes difficult to apply to an anastomosis where the pelvis is narrow or the anastomosis is ultralow. In this report, we review our experiences of a novel DST (IO-DST) that employs vertical division of the rectum using an endostapler. Materials and methods One-hundred and five consecutive patients who underwent low anterior resection for rectal carcinoma below the peritoneal reflection were enrolled into this study. The clinical, oncological, and functional outcomes were studied retrospectively. Results The median distance from the anal verge to the tumor was 5.0 cm in "high risk" T1 tumors and 6.5 cm in more-advanced tumors. More than 2 cm of distal surgical margin was obtained in 80.6% of the patients with tumors deeper than T1. The median distance from the anal verge to the anastomosis was 4.2 cm in T1 tumors and 4.0 cm in more-advanced tumors. The median blood loss was 315 ml, and the median operative time was 262 min. There was no mortality in the IO-DST. Recurrence presented in 12 (13.0%) of the patients who underwent curative surgery, with local recurrence in four patients (4.3%) during a median follow-up of 46.2 months. However, no patients experienced suture-line recurrence. The early bowel frequency was four times/day after stoma closure in patients with transient covering colostomy and 3.5 times/day in patients without colostomy. The late bowel frequency was three times/day in patients with transient covering colostomy, and two times/day in patients without colostomy. Conclusion The IO-DST is a feasible and safe procedure for facilitating lower anastomosis in rectal carcinoma below the peritoneal reflection.

An abdominal cocoon is an extremely rare condition, which has been mainly reported in young adolescent women as a cause of small bowel obstruction. In these patients the small bowel is encased in a fibrous sac called an abdominal cocoon. We herein describe a 74-year-old man who demonstrated an abdominal cocoon without having any history associated with an abdominal cocoon. A laparotomy showed bloody ascites and the entire small bowel was encased in a thin white fibrous membrane like a cocoon. The small intestine entered into a defect of the membrane, thus presenting as an internal hernia with intestinal necrosis. The necrotic intestine and the membrane were removed. A histopathological examination of the membrane showed a few signs of inflammation cells.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma associated with chronic anal fistula is extremely rare, and such tumors have often reached an advanced stage at the time of presentation. Here we report a case of mucinous adenocarcinoma associated with chronic anal fistula that involved repair with gracilis myocutaneous flaps and review other reported cases. A 67-year-old man with an approximate 30-year history of an anal fistula was referred to our hospital due to enlargement of the perianal induration accompanied by mucinous secretion and pain. Physical examination of the perianal region revealed an ulcerated and discharging lesion on the buttocks. Histologic examination of a biopsy specimen of the ulcerated lesion revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma. An abdominoperineal resection was performed with resection of the ischiorectal fossa, coccyx, part of the gluteus maximus, and the obturator internus. The extensive defect was repaired with bilateral gracilis myocutaneous flaps. The patient did not experience a decrease in the strength of hip adduction and survived for 58 months without recurrence until he died of pneumonia. The repair using myocutaneous flaps was considered to contribute to a physically active life without recurrence.

Purpose: This study was designed to identify those patients with Dukes C rectal carcinoma below the peritoneal reflection who might benefit from lateral lymph node dissection. Methods: The study involved 104 consecutive Dukes C patients who received total mesorectal excision with lateral lymph node dissection for rectal carcinoma below the peritoneal reflection between 1990 and 2002. The patients were retrospectively divided into three groups: patients without lateral spread (Group I: n=52), patients with nodal involvement between the inferior hypogastric nerve and the internal iliac artery (Group II: n=16), and patients with nodal involvement in the obturator space (Group III: n=36). The patients also were divided into two groups according to the number of lateral nodes involved: less than four (n=42) and at least four (lateral nodes involved: n=10). Nodal involvement was determined histologically. Results: The local recurrence and overall five-year survival rates were 5.8 and 66.9 percent in Group I, 18.8 and 59.8 percent in Group II, and 33.3 and 23.6 percent in Group III, respectively. These outcomes did not differ significantly between Groups I and II, but they were significantly worse in Group III than in Groups I and II, with the survival being significantly better in the patients with less than four histologically positive lateral nodes involved (43.2 percent) than in those with at least four positive lateral nodes involved (0 percent). Conclusions: Lateral lymph node dissection was effective for Dukes C rectal carcinoma below the peritoneal reflection with positive lateral nodes involved in the space between the autonomic nerve and the internal iliac artery and in patients with less than four positive lateral nodes.

Hepatic resection for colorectal metastases was performed for 188 patients. Overall survival rates after the first hepatectomy are 41.4% and 32.7% for 5 and 10 years, respectively. The survival rate of 116 cases with unilobar hepatic metastases (H1) is significantly higher than those of 48 cases with two to four bilobar metastases (H2) and 24 cases with more than four (H3), respectively. However, the differences between the survival rates from H1 with multiple metastases, H2, and H3 are not significant, even though the H3 group has no 10-year survivors. The 5-year survival rates after the second hepatectomy (30 patients) and the resection of the lung (26 patients) are 30.3% and 35.2%, respectively, in this series. In those patients, the 5-year survival rates from the first metastasectomy are 43.4% and 50.3%, respectively. There are 14 5-year survivors with multiple metastases and 8 of those patients underwent multiple surgeries. There are 13 patients with three or more repeat resections of the liver and/or lung. The 5-year survival rates of the patients from the first and third metastasectomy are 53.9% and 22.5%, respectively. Repeat operations for the liver and the lung contribute to the improving prognosis.

Purpose. The original double-stapling technique (DST) using a standard linear stapler horizontally can be difficult in patients with a narrow pelvis or an ultralow anastomosis. We review our experience of performing a modified DST (IO-DST) with vertical division of the rectum achieved using an endostapler. Methods. We retrospectively studied the clinical outcomes of 90 patients who underwent low anterior resection (LAR) for lower rectal carcinoma. Low anterior resection was performed with IO-DST in 34 patients (IO-DST group), with the single-stapling technique (SST) in 47 (SST group), and with per anal anastomosis (PAA) in 9 (PAA group). Results. The distances from the anal verge to the tumor and to the anastomosis were significantly shorter in the IO-DST group than in the SST group (5.8 cm, 4.0 cm vs 7.0 cm, 5.0 cm, respectively), whereas it was equivalent in the IO-DST and PAA groups (5.0 cm, 4.0 cm). Blood loss was less in the IO-DST group than in the SST and PAA groups (400 ml vs 578 ml and 950 ml, respectively). The operative time was shorter in the IO-DST group than in the PAA group (281 min vs 327 min, respectively). There were no significant differences in the length of the distal surgical margin among the three groups. The IO-DST group patients suffered less bowel frequency than the SST group patients 1 month after surgery (2.5 times/day vs 4.0 times/day, respectively) and less than the PAA group patients more than 1 year after surgery (2.0 times/day vs 3.5 times/day, respectively). There were no significant differences in the incidence of complications or local recurrence among the three groups. Conclusions. IO-DST is a feasible and safe procedure for performing low anastomosis, which results in less bowel frequency after LAR for lower rectal carcinoma.

Intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy via the internal iliac artery was performed in 5 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer or recurrent rectal cancer. Arterial infusion chemotherapy was conducted into the internal iliac artery via bilateral femoral artery following a blood flow change with a coil. 5 FU 500 mg and l-leucovorin 125 mg/m2 were injected weekly. An average time of injections or its duration was 40 (17-74) times or 12.8 (5-23) months, respectively. Disappearance or improvement of symptoms was observed in 4 cases. A decrease of tumor size observed by CT was in 2 cases and a decrease of blood CEA level was in 3 cases. As for the complication of arterial infusion chemotherapy, dermatopathy was found in all of the cases, and sensory disturbance of lower extremities was in 3 cases, infection was in 2 cases and catheter obstruction was in 2 cases. A decrease of dosage or abundance of continuation was done during the course due to complications. Two patients with primary cancer died 1-3 years after the treatment, and 2 patients with recurrence died 7 months to 1 year after the treatment. One patient with primary cancer is continuing the treatment for the last 2 years though multiple metastatic diseases have been confirmed.

Systemic and local immunological responses were studied in patients with or without preoperative administration of chemotherapeutic and/or immunotherapeutic drugs for colorectal cancer. The plasma TGFbeta and other cytokines such as IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IFN-gamma in the supernatant fluid of culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and regional lymph node were measured by the ELISA method. A systemic response of cytokines was as follows: the production of plasma TGFbeta increased in many cases by chemotherapeutic drugs with a significant elevation of the mean production. Productions of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-12 in the supernatant fluid of culture of PBMC increased in many cases by immunotherapeutic drugs, and that of IL-4, IL-6 increased in many cases by chemotherapeutic drugs. A local response of cytokines was as follows: the production of IL-2 by immunotherapeutic drugs was greater than that without immunotherapeutic drugs whereas the production of IL-10 by immunotherapeutic drugs was smaller than that without immunotherapeutic drugs.

Purpose: Rectal stump washout has been recommended to prevent implantation of exfoliated malignant cells in the anastomosis after anterior resection for rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate its efficacy, particularly the extent to which the volume of irrigation fluid might influence the efficacy of tumor cell elimination and whether tumor characteristics might influence the result. Methods: The study comprised 30 consecutive patients operated on by anterior resection for rectal cancer. After cross-clamping the rectum below the tumor, a washout sample was collected for examination after every incremental 500 ml of saline irrigation up to 2 liters. The presence of shed cancer cells was correlated with the washout volume and tumor characteristics. Results: Cancer cells were found in 29 of 30 patients (97 percent) in the first sample of irrigation fluid and decreased gradually in frequency and number with increasing irrigation volumes. No cancer cells were demonstrated after 1.5 liters of irrigation in patients with tumor below the peritoneal reflection, whereas cancer cells were still present in one-fourth of the patients with tumor located above the peritoneal reflection. Finally, only a small number of cancer cells was confirmed in one patient after 2 liters of irrigation. Conclusions: The irrigation volume determined the efficacy of rectal washout. With our method, 1 1/2 liters of saline irrigation appears to clear contents from cancer cells in patients with tumors below the peritoneal reflection whereas at least 2 liters is recommended for patients with tumor above the peritoneal reflection.

BACKGROUND: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery facilitates access to proximal tumors in the rectum, but there is limited possibility for tumors above the peritoneal reflection because of high cost, training, and long operative time. The objectives of this study are to delineate the results achieved by novel transanal local excision (minimally invasive transanal surgery [MITAS]) with the use of a new anal retractor, stapler device, and several modified surgical techniques for selected rectal tumors. STUDY DESIGN: Ninety-one patients with 93 tumors undergoing MITAS between 1993 and 2000 were retrospectively reviewed for prospectively collected data with a minimum 2 years followup and without adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy. RESULTS: MITAS was accomplished in a median of 20 minutes with negligible blood loss, no mortality; and low morbidity for tumors locating 9 cm (range 5 to 20 cm) from the anal verge and measuring 25 mm (range 8 to 83 mm) of maximum diameter. No recurrent disease was observed in patients with 32 adenomas, 37 Tis, 5 low-risk pT1, and 14 high-risk pT1 carcinomas. Eight underwent additional operation, two patients with high-risk pT1 tumors who refused additional operations had recurrent disease, and the sole patient with surgical margin positive underwent a reexcision with MITAS for recurrence without further disease during a median of 63 months followup. CONCLUSIONS: MITAS is a feasible transanal local excision procedure that allows access to proximal rectal tumors and "total excisional biopsy" with short operative time, negligible blood loss, and low morbidity for carefully selected adenomas and early carcinomas.

Poor visualization and restricted access often make tumor lesions in the lower rectum difficult to excise, particularly in a narrow male pelvis. The aim of this study was therefore to study whether (and if so to what extent) different positions of the patient on the operating table might improve accessibility. Twenty consecutive patients (men and women) undergoing laparotomy with surgery of the lower rectum were studied. The geometric configuration of the pelvis was studied and compared on lateral radiographs obtained at the operating table in each of four positions. Compared with the conventional lithotomy position, the thighs-flat" position caused significant extension movement of the lumbosacral joint. Augmentation of the lumbar lordosis widened the pelvic view and enabled a more vertical view of the lower rectum (27.5 degrees in lithotomy position, 13.0 degrees in the thighs-flat position). Insertion of a "lumbar pad" contributed further to the augmentation (7 degrees). When compared on radiographic studies, the thighs-flat position is preferable to the conventional lithotomy position in terms of facilitating low rectal surgery by improving both visibility and accessibility to the pelvic cavity.

Prolapse is a common complication in patients with a transverse loop colostomy. In most cases, the prolapse can be managed conservatively awaiting time for closure eventually. However, loop stoma may also be intentionally permanent or the patient may be too fragile to have the colostomy closed and in these cases a laparotomy is required for correction of the prolpase. A simple method allowing local correction of the prolapsed loop stoma is described.

Background: We evaluated functional and morphological outcomes of transvaginal anterior levatorplasty with posterior colporrhaphy for symptomatic rectocele. Methods: Ten women (median 68 years) underwent transvaginal anterior levatorplasty with posterior colporrhaphy for symptomatic rectocele. Symptoms and continence were monitored before and after surgery. Manovolumetric study and defecography were performed in 9 of 10 patients before and 3-6 months after surgery. Twenty-one females without anorectal diseases were used as controls in manovolumetric study. The patients were followed up after a median of 89 months (range, 3-103). Results: Main symptoms (defecatory disorders in 9 patients, vaginal mass in 6, perineal discomfort in 2) disappeared after surgery. Six patients performed digitation preoperatively and gave up digitation on defecation after surgery. Stool incontinence disappeared in 4 of 5 preoperatively incontinent patients (Cleveland clinic score, 5-12) and continence score improved from 5 to 2 in the remaining patient. Three patients with urinary cough incontinence preoperatively did not experience incontinence after surgery but cough incontinence occurred occasionally in an 81-year-old patient postoperatively. Rectocele demonstrated on defecography disappeared postoperatively in all 9 patients who underwent defecography. High threshold volume and maximum tolerable volume, which were observed preoperatively, decreased to control levels after surgery. Conclusion: Transvaginal anterior levatorplasty with posterior colporrhaphy might be an option for symptomatic rectocele to improve anorectal and urinary dysfunctions with morphological disorders.

We investigated both pathogenesis and prevention of loop transverse stomal prolapse. Seven patients with reducible prolapsed stoma were studied under fluoroscopy after staining the prolapsed stoma and the colon by barium medium while prolapsing or reducing the stoma with or without the stomal wall pressed on to the abdominal wall of fascial plane. All prolapses occurred in the distal limbs of the loop stoma with the distal transverse colons redundant. The prolapse started around the mucocutaneous suture with the stoma inflated and the colon in it depressed and proceeded in accordance with an addition of abdominal pressure, but did not occur by pressing of the stomal wall. Prolapse of transverse loop stoma occurs when redundant colon invades the stoma with an abdominal pressure. Stomal prolapse might be prevented by fixation of the colon to the fascia.

Weekly infusion of high-dose 5-FU through the hepatic artery after resection of colorectal cancer was compared with resection alone in patients with multiple liver metastases. Twenty-seven patients (Group I) underwent hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and 74 patients (Group II) underwent resection alone. The average survival time was 17.9 months in Group I and 8.5 months in Group II. One CR and 7 PR were achieved with arterial infusion therapy and the response rate was 29.6%. One- to three-year survivals were better in Group I than Group II.

Background We evaluated to what extent lateral lymph node dissection (LND) interferes with bladder and male sexual functions after radical rectal excision with adoption of careful total autonomic nerve preservation. Methods The study comprised 77 patients resected for mid-rectal or lower rectal cancer. Bladder and male sexual functions were studied by means of a questionnaire more than one year after surgery. Outcomes were compared between patients who received lateral LND (group 1, 65 patients) and those who did not (group 2, 12 patients). Results Only minor disturbances of bladder function were reported in 10 patients (15%) of group 1, and in 3 patients (25%) of group 2. Ten out of 37 preoperatively sexually active patients (27%) in group 1 males and one of 5 patients (20%) in group 2 males had partial or total impotency after surgery and retrograde ejaculation occurred in 3 of 27 patients (11%) and one of 4 patients (25%), respectively. Erectile impotency occurred less frequently when patients were operated during the period 1993-1996 than during 1988-1992 (11% vs. 42%, p&lt 0.05). The age was significantly greater among patients who had loss of ejaculation. Conclusions If lateral lymph node dissection should be used with the aim of improving radicality in rectal excision for cancer, it should be combined with careful nerve-preserving technique - which may reduce the risk of bladder and male sexual dysfunctions.

Chemotherapy with combined administration of 5-FU and l-Leucovorin has been reported to be effective for advanced rectal cancer. A 61-year-old woman with a huge, locally extended advanced rectal cancer was treated with intra-arterial infusion therapy via internal iliac artery. Catheters were inserted from the bilateral femoral arteries to the opposite internal iliac arteries and the bilateral upper and lower gluteal arteries and lateral sacral artery were embolized with a metallic coil. The port was positioned under the skin of her lower abdominal wall. The chemotherapy regimen was 5-FU (500 mg/body) and l-Leucovorin (250 mg/m2), administered over 5 hours once weekly to bilateral reservoirs through an infuser pump. After 5 sessions of the chemotherapy, the perineal pain decreased and the patient no longer needed morphine. Following 34 administrations (at 10 months) of this regimen, reductions of tumor size on pelvic CT and CEA level were confirmed. Side effects of the intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy were pygal dermatitis, leg desensitization, infection of circumferential reservoir and obstruction of the catheter due to flection were observed. Local intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy via the internal iliac artery appears to be effective for local advanced rectal cancer.

Local excision is often fully justified for rectal carcinoid tumors. However insufficient surgical field and difficult access to proximal tumors have been drawbacks in performing pre-existing local excision procedures. A novel local excisional technique called minimally invasive transanal surgery (MITAS) has been experimented for local removal of carcinoid tumors in the rectum. A specially designed anal retractor connected to the Octopus retractor holder was used and an ENDO-stapler allowed the simultaneous excision and anastomosis to be performed. Eight patients with carcinoid tumors in the rectum (4 tumors in the upper rectum) underwent MITAS. Median distance from anal verge to proximal tumor was 6.5 cm (range, 5-12 cm). The median diameter of the tumor was 9 mm. Median operative time was 18.5 minutes and blood loss was minimal. No analgesics were needed postoperatively, and there was no morbidity or mortality. Full-thickness excision of the rectum was accomplished and the tumors confined in the submucosa were demonstrated histologically to be with free surgical margins. No recurrences have been observed with a median follow-up period of 39 months. The technique facilitates total excisional biopsy for rectal carcinoid tumors and reduces operative time, blood loss and complications.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of oral diazepam on anal incontinence after low anterior resection for rectal cancer. Five patients with persistent incontinence after low anterior resection for rectal cancer (median level of anastomosis was 4.0 cm from the anal verge) were treated with oral diazepam (2 mg/day) 9-90 months after surgery. Grade and frequency of anal incontinence, the need for a protective pad and changes of lifestyle were recorded according to the Cleveland Clinic's continence grading scale anorectal manometry was performed before and after 3 months of treatment. All patients improved on treatment although occasional minor soiling persisted in two patients. Continence score improved from 14 (median, range 9-16) to 0 (range 0-12) after taking diazepam. Improvement occurred within a week after administration of diazepam. Although the patients improved symptomatically, anorectal manometry failed to demonstrate any significant changes. In conclusion, oral administration of diazepam may be worthwhile in the attempt to improve anal continence after low anterior resection.

Most carcinoid tumors of the rectum are confined to the submucosa with a size less than 1-2 cm and are usually suitable for local excision, as metastasis to the regional nodes is limited. Endoscopic excision of carcinoid tumors has been performed for this entity as a least invasive method but incomplete resection and/or unclear surgical margin and curability have been reported to occur in 24-42% of cases because of a limited resection up to the submucosal layer and burn effect. Transanal local excision has often been applied for rectal carcinoid tumor as a least invasive method among local excision procedures to accomplish full thickness excision for determining the curability. However, it is often difficult to obtain free access with a sufficient surgical field by the conventional method. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) has appeared as a useful option to access a high tumor with fine visibility but special caution has to be taken for tumors sited above the peritoneal reflection. To facilitate full thickness excision even for high tumors, novel local excisional technique called minimally invasive transanal surgery (MITAS) has been developed and used for local removal of carcinoid tumors in the rectum. A specially designed anal retractor connected to the Octopus retractor holder with several novel techniques facilitated excisional procedures around the anus with a sufficient fixed surgical field and an ENDO-stapler allowed the simultaneous excision and anastomosis to be performed. The technique facilitated total excisional biopsy with less operative time and blood loss, and no mobility or mortality in 12 patients with rectal carcinoid tumors. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract is a rare entity. The present case is the first report of mucoepidermoid carcinoma in the large bowel. A 71-year-old man was admitted to our hospital to undergo surgery for a recurrent chordoma of the hip. A barium enema and colonoscopy were carried out to assess whether there was any relationship between the recurrent chordoma and the rectum. An ulcerating tumor was thus identified in the ascending colon. A radical right hemicolectomy was carried out. In the resected specimen a 3-cm ulcerating lesion was observed. The tumor consisted of PAS-positive mucin-producing cells, epidermoid cells, and intermediate cells. No differentiated squamous cell carcinoma cells were identified in any part of the tumor. The malignant cells proliferated mainly in the submucosa but also invaded the muscularis and serosa. The tumor was diagnosed as a mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the ascending colon. Unfortunately, despite chemotherapy, the patient developed liver metastases and died of. liver failure 10 months postoperatively.

Mucinous cystadenocarcinoma in the appendix is uncommon. An anomaly in the rotation of the intestine is also uncommon in adults. We herein report a case of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma in the appendix in a patient with nonrotation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of appendiceal carcinoma in a patient with an anomaly of intestinal rotation. A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with left low abdominal pain. Physical examination revealed tenderness with muscle rigidity in the left lower quadrant. The patient was diagnosed to have intussusception by computed tomography and ultrasonography. An emergency operation showed nonrotation and the top of the appendix situated in the left iliac fossa. An appendectomy was performed because of gangrenous acute appendicitis. However, the cut surface of the appendix showed a mucocele measuring 4 x 4 cm in size. It was diagnosed to be mucinous cystadenocarcinoma histopathologically. A right hemicolectomy with lymph node dissection was performed, and no remaining cancer cells or lymph node metastases were found in the resected specimen pathologically. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. No signs of recurrence have been observed for 23 months since her last operation.