Rare tumors of the colon and rectum

Abstract

A a result of the relative rarity of some tumors in the colon and rectum, controversy exists concerning therapy because they cannot be well characterized. These tumors tend to present with symptoms similar in nature to those of typical colorectal adenocarcinomas. The primary therapy is surgical in nature. Other than mucinous carcinoma, which is a distinct variant of adenocarcinoma, most of these tumors account for less than 1% of all adenocarcinomas of the colon and rectum. Each tumor type is reviewed and areas of controversy are highlighted.