Schistosoma japonicum Associated With Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with increasing prevalence in Asian countries with a crude incidence of 21.1 per 100,000. <i>Schistosoma</i> is a genus of trematodes that infect millions of humans, affecting multiple organs, notably the intestines, liver, and bladder. Those trematodes may cause chronic inflammation in the affected organ leading to long-term complications such as fibrosis and neoplasia. There is rising evidence that infection with <i>Schistosoma japonicum</i> is correlated with the liver and CRC in endemic Asian countries. It is reported that chronic infection with Schistosomiasis raises the risk of CRC by 3 times. Less commonly seen outside of endemic areas, we present a case of <i>S. japonicum</i>-associated CRC in the United States in a woman with sigmoid adenocarcinoma and <i>Schistosoma japonicum</i> infection.