A TAILGUT CYST FOUND ACCOMPANYING RECTAL-CANCER - REPORT OF A CASE

Tailgut cysts are rare congenital lesions. To date, only four cases ha ve been reported in Japan, and the occurrence of a tailgut cyst with r ectal cancer has never been documented. We describe here the case of a patient in whom a tailgut cyst in the retrorectal space was associate d with rectal cancer. Preoperative computed tomography scans and endor ectal ultrasonography failed to identify the lesion as cystic, instead suggesting an involved lymph node. This case emphasizes the necessity for careful diagnosis of masses in the retrorectal space in patients with rectal cancer.