A Case of Anastomotic Recurrence 10 Years after Excision of Sigmoid Colon Cancer with Submucosal Invasion

A 72-year-old woman underwent sigmoid colon resection plus D2 lymph node dissection in 2008, with additional resection after endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR). Histopathological examination revealed only atypical ducts in the EMR scar, with no invasion below the submucosa. No lymphatic, venous, or nerve invasions were confirmed, and oral and anal stumps and lymph node metastases were negative. She was followed up for 5 years after the surgery, and no recurrence was detected. In 2018, she visited our hospital with the chief complaint of diarrhea and constipation. Colonoscopy revealed a circumferential lesion around the anastomosis. She underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection for suspected anastomotic recurrence, which was confirmed by histopathological diagnosis. The anastomotic recurrence 10 years after surgery for SM cancer of the colon with negative lymph node metastasis and vascular factor was extremely rare. We recognized the importance of surveillance 5 years after surgery.