Published online Jul 15, 2010. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v2.i7.304
Revised: May 15, 2010
Accepted: May 22, 2010
Published online: July 15, 2010
Colonic lipomas are relatively uncommon tumors of mesenchymal origin, composed of well-differentiated adipose tissue supported by fibrous tissue, that usually occur in cecum and ascending colon. Colonic lipomas rarely cause symptoms and are usually detected incidentally. However, if the lesion is large, it may produce symptoms, such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, obstruction, intussusception, and even weight loss. Large colonic lipomas can be mistaken for malignancy, which may result in extensive surgical operations. We report a large broad-based ulcerated cecal lipoma in a 68-year-old woman, who presented with abdominal pain and weight loss. The ulcerated lesion was highly suspicious for malignancy radiologically and endoscopically. The patient underwent laparoscopic right-hemicolectomy, and the lesion was diagnosed as a cecal submucosal lipoma. The surgical approach remains the treatment of choice for large and complicated cases.