Poland Emily, Abbass Khurram, Markert Ronald, Agrawal Sangeeta, Akram Salma
Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dayton, OH, USA.
Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA.
J Gastrointest Cancer. 2012 Sep;43 Suppl 1:S38-41. doi: 10.1007/s12029-011-9276-y.
A 78-year-old Caucasian male with a history of atrial fibrillation and anticoagulation with warfarin presented with a change in bowel habits and weight loss. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.5 cm rectal mass. After biopsy with colonoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography, the rectal mass was highly suspicious for rectal hematoma. When the rectal mass did not resolve after 1 month of follow-up, surgery showed the patient to have a rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor. He is being treated with imatinib and follow-up CT scans. This case illustrates the importance of a high level of suspicion for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor when a rectal mass is found.
