Malacoplakia simulating organ invasion in a rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma - Report of a case

Malacoplakia is a histiocytic inflammatory response that may be associated with colorectal tumors. We report the case of a 65-year-old male taking ste roids for a severe pulmonary disease. He presented with a rectosigmoid tumo r that seemed to infiltrate the urinary bladder and the sacrum on the preop erative CT scan and echography and at laparotomy. A low anterior resection en bloc with a partial cystectomy was performed. The pathologic analysis sh owed a pT3pN0 adenocarcinoma with an extensive malacoplakia infiltrating th e bladder and the pericolic and perirectal. tissues. This case report empha sizes the overstaging that malacoplakia may induce and underlines a situati on the surgeon may possibly confront. Our observation confirms the associat ion of malacoplakia, colorectal carcinoma, and steroid treatment.