A rare case of medullary carcinoma of colon: Clinical implications and role of adjuvant therapy

Medullary carcinoma (MC) of the colon is one of the rarest types of colon adenocarcinoma with distinct phenotype and clinical outcomes. Annual incidence is noted to be around five to eight out of 10,000 cases of colon cancer, which is partly can be attributed to lack of understanding of these tumors for many years that has resulted in incorrect diagnosis. Comprehensive pathological examination is important along with immunohistochemical staining for accurate diagnosis of MC of the colon. It is usually diagnosed at stage 2 or 3, where surgery is the mainstay of treatment. Given the rarity of the tumor, there are no specific guidelines to direct adjuvant treatments. Most of the recommendations are inherited from colon adenocarcinoma guidelines. Here, we report a case report of elderly gentleman with early-stage medullary carcinoma of the colon and its prognosis, pathological findings, and treatment implications.