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Exploring beyond tumors: Intra-abdominal mass in a young patient with Crohn's disease
IBD can present in uncommon ways in children — including as an intraluminal abdominal mass that mimics tumors. Early recognition avoids misdiagnosis and guides appropriate surgical and medical follow-up.
Pediatric patients and their parents/caregivers, pediatric gastroenterologists and surgeons, and clinicians evaluating unexplained abdominal masses in children.
What To Know
What to know This Frontiers in Pediatrics case report describes a 12-year-old girl whose Crohn's disease presented unusually as a solid cecal/appendiceal mass.
Imaging (ultrasound, CT enterography) and colonoscopy identified a polypoid intraluminal mass; biopsies and surgical resection (ileocecectomy) showed noncaseating granulomas and inflammatory changes consistent with Crohn's disease, and malignancy was not found.
The team discussed treatment options and follow-up; the family chose watchful waiting with serial fecal calprotectin monitoring and the patient remained clinically well at follow-up.
The report emphasizes that Crohn's can rarely present as a mass in children and that a multidisciplinary evaluation (radiology, endoscopy, histology, genetics) helped reach the diagnosis. This is a single pediatric case report, not a treatment trial.
It is mainly useful as a reminder to consider IBD in the differential diagnosis of pediatric intra-abdominal masses and to use coordinated diagnostic workup rather than as guidance on specific therapies.
This is a single case report describing an atypical presentation and local management choices; it does not establish best treatment. Findings highlight diagnostic steps (imaging, endoscopy, histology, genetic/serologic testing) but do not change standard care guidelines.
