Introduction
Enterocutaneous Fistula is an abnormal connection between the intestinal tract and the skin that arises iatrogenically, often due to surgical complications such as intestinal anastomotic dehiscence and enterotomies (1)Abdominal trauma accounts for the etiology in 25-50% of ECF cases, while other origins encompass cancer, radiation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ischemia, and infectious diseases. Therefore, the origins of ECF can be postoperative, traumatic, or spontaneous.(2)
Colorectal carcinoma (CRC), in contrast, is the third most prevalent cancer globally, with 1.8 million new diagnoses and stands as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, contributing to approximately 881,000 fatalities in 2018(3). The cecum, the initial segment of the colon, can harbor a specific form of cancer termed as carcinoma of the cecum. Despite its often subtle clinical presentation, historical data reveals that nearly 20% of colorectal tumors originate in the cecum. Notably, gastrointestinal tuberculosis is often referred to as the ”great mimic” because it exhibits symptoms similar to those of cecal malignancy, complicating its accurate diagnosis(4). Not only this, the convergence of enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) with colorectal cancer (CRC) too is a rare occurrence, typically indicative of an advanced stage of the disease. This case report aims to elucidate the exceptional conjunction of carcinoma of the cecum with enterocutaneous fistula, an association rarely documented in the medical literature, thereby aiming to underscore the possibilities of misdiagnosis, the importance of early detection, intervention and management in advanced cases of colon cancer that carry poor prognosis.