Depressed-Type Submucosal Colon Cancer

PURPOSE: The article presents one of very few Korean reports on the detection of depressed early colorectal cancers, which have been cited by some Japanese doctors as another pathway for the development of colon cancers. Depressed-type early colorectal cancers have mainly been reported in Japan, and recently a few have also been reported in Western countries. Depressed early colorectal cancers are still rarely detected in Korea, where most colorectal surgeons, endoscopists, and radiologists refer to Western guidelines. METHODS: Recently, the authors experienced a typical 12-mm depressed-type early colon cancer in the ascending colon of a 55-year-old Korean male patient. It was detected by a colonoscopic examination. RESULTS: The lesion was flexible on insufflation and deflation with air and was considered an early colon cancer. Because of the large size, a surgical resection was performed. The final pathologic result was a minimally invasive submucosal cancer without lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: This Korean case is one of very few reported abroad, so we think that it might make an important contribution to research on depressed-type early colorectal cancer.