An unusual case of right-sided colon cancer with isolated lateral pelvic side wall lymph node metastases

Abstract

Lymphatic drainage is typically in the direction of arterial supply, and lymphatic drainage for right-sided colon cancers typically travels to ileocolic lymph nodes. It is rare for right-sided colon cancers to metastasize to the lateral pelvic side wall lymph nodes in the absence of local invasion or other distant metastases. In this report, we present an unusual case of a young female with pT4a right-sided ascending colon cancer with isolated metastases to the pelvic iliac lymph nodes. The patient underwent minimally invasive laparoscopic right hemicolectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection with curative intent. She recovered well with no intraoperative complications and was referred for urgent adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Keywords

• Colorectal adenocarcinoma
• External iliac lymph node disease
• Positron-emission tomography
• Tumour staging