Unusual case of anorexia

Abstract

We report the case of a 15-year-old female patient suffering from progressive anorexia, weight loss and recurrent abdominal pain, initially diagnosed as anorexia nervosa. She eventually presented with severe malnutrition and acute bowel obstruction, revealing a mass of the transverse colon. A well-differentiated Lieberkühn adenocarcinoma was established by histology. The patient underwent transverse and right colectomy and was treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is predominantly a disease of older adults and is extremely rare in children and adolescents. Seldom suspected, it is more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, with unfavourable tumour histology and poor outcome. Young patients diagnosed with CRC should receive genetic counselling regardless of their family history or tumour type. This reports' take-home message is that recurrent and persistent digestive symptoms in the young should alert physicians and lead to further investigations.