Rectal adenocarcinoma presenting as full-thickness prolapse with external haemorrhoids: case report.

Authors

• Samantha Temucin, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Sean Singh, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Valerie Bauer
• Roy Sandau

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2026

Abstract

We present a case of a 51-year-old male with a colonic adenocarcinoma that presented as a full-thickness rectal prolapse with external haemorrhoids. This patient had no significant medical or surgical history and presented to the emergency department with a rectal prolapse which had become incarcerated and increasingly painful over the previous 2 weeks. A computed tomography (CT) abdomen and pelvis appeared benign, demonstrating a full-thickness rectal prolapse with no definite rectal mass. A colonoscopy was performed, revealing anterior rectal mucosal edema, fibrosis, and a possible mass. This prompted the patient to be taken to the operating room for a low anterior resection of the rectum and sigmoid. A 10.5 × 8.2 × 1.9 cm rectal mass was noted and pathology revealed colonic adenocarcinoma. This case highlights the importance of performing a colonoscopy in patients with atypical rectal prolapse, even when the physical exam and CT appears benign.

Comments

This article was published in Journal of Surgical Case Reports, Volume 2026, Issue 2.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjaf1118.

Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. CC BY-NC 4.0.

Publication Title

Journal of Surgical Case Reports

Recommended Citation

Temucin, Samantha; Singh, Sean; Bauer, Valerie; and Sandau, Roy, "Rectal adenocarcinoma presenting as full-thickness prolapse with external haemorrhoids: case report." (2026). General Surgery Resident Research. 28.
https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/general_surgery_residents/28 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjaf1118

PubMed ID

41768330