Intussusception in colorectal cancer

Adult intussusception is a rare occurrence and, unlike in childhood, is usually associated with an underlying tumor. Although computed tomography (CT) imaging can identify an intussusception and point toward a cause, diagnosis is challenging if it is only intermittent. When an intussusception presents in the context of a known bowel cancer, it is possible to attribute nonspecific abdominal symptoms to the malignant process. Herein, we describe 2 cases of retrograde intussusception caused by cecal tumors that were not identified on preoperative CT scanning, only to be found during surgery. Both patients presented with intermittent severe abdominal pain and weight loss, which is not usually a feature of cecal cancer without metastases. These cases highlight the difficulty of diagnosing intermittent adult intussusception and that atypical abdominal pain might herald an otherwise occult colorectal cancer.