Basidiobolomycosis of Right Colon Mimicking as Carcinoma of Colon

Abstract

Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis (GIB) is a rare fungal infection with limited geographic distribution. However, the incidence of GIB has shown an increasing trend because of globalization and frequent traveling. GIB is commonly seen to mimic gastrointestinal malignancy and other diseases such as intestinal tuberculosis and inflammatory bowel disease. Tissue diagnosis is considered to be the gold standard for differentiating these mycotic lesions from tuberculosis and malignancy with confirmation of species performed by culture or polymerase chain reaction. The diagnosis of GIB should be conjectured in patients with suspicion of malignancy, with an inconclusive biopsy. It seems prudent to proceed with radical excision of mass early because both colonic malignancy and GIB have high mortality if untreated.

A Psittacine bite and subcutaneous basidiobolomycosis: A case with a therapeutic challenge

“…Most case reports document involvement of lower extremity with traumatic implantation from contaminated soil [ 7 ]. There have been few cases documented with gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis from India and abroad with B. ranarum and B. omanensis [ 8 , 9 ]. A case report of a 42 year old male diabetic patient with features suggestive of lung abscess and multiple target organ damage showed B. ranarum as the etiological agent [ 10 ].…”

Cross-sectional investigation of mycological diagnosis challenges in Saudi Arabia

“…None of the southern hospitals reported detecting Basidiobolus ranarum. The gold standard diagnostic test for distinguishing these mycotic lesions from malignancy is using histopathological methods and species confirmation by culture or polymerase chain reaction ( Vs et al., 2021 ). Biopsies must be sent to the microbiology laboratory to complete the required diagnosis ( Bretagne and Alanio, 2017 ).…”

Basidiobolomycosis Mimicking Fistulizing Crohn’s Disease: A Case Report From Saudi Arabia

“…However, GIB can also be misdiagnosed as IBD, and such instances have been described in several studies in the literature [4][5][6]. The misdiagnosis is often caused by the nature of the disease, presenting with space-occupying lesions as well as with fistula and perforation [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…GIB causes invasive infections in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. It is often misdiagnosed as carcinoma, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), tuberculosis (TB), or a fungal infection like mucormycosis since it is quite rare and unfamiliar to the physician [ 2 ]. Owing to the rarity of the disease, its diagnosis and management are quite challenging.…”

“…Mohammadi et al reported an unusual case of basidiobolomycosis, which was diagnosed initially as colon cancer [ 4 ]. Similarly, Vikram et al reported the case of a 50-year-old male with a space-occupying lesion, which was diagnosed as cancer [ 2 ]. However, GIB can also be misdiagnosed as IBD, and such instances have been described in several studies in the literature [ 4 - 6 ].…”