Rapid growth of a retroperitoneal rhabdomyosarcoma following right hemicolectomy for ascending colon cancer: Report of a case

We report herein the case of a 69-year-old man in whom rapid growth of a re troperitoneal rhabdomyosarcoma occurred following hemicolectomy for ascendi ng colon cancer. On his first admission for surgery, a small lesion, 1.5 cm in diameter, was detected adjacent to the inner side of the left kidney by abdominal axial computed tomography (CT), which was initially suspected to be a benign lesion; however, a postoperative follow-up CT scan done 5 mont hs later revealed that the lesion had enlarged remarkably to 8 cm in diamet er. Thus, total resection tvas performed under the presumed diagnosis of a malignant retroperitoneal tumor, The tumor was found to be adjacent to the inner portion of the left kidney and covered by Gerota's fascia. As it invo lved the ileolumbar muscle and had a metastatic lymph node, complete resect ion was performed. The resected specimen was 8.5 x 6.5 x 5 cm in size and w as histologically confirmed as a retroperitoneal rhabdomyosarcoma of embryo nal type. Two courses of adjuvant chemotherapy with adriamycin, vincristine , and cyclophosphamide were given, and the patient has shown no signs of re currence for 2 years since his second operation.