The incidence of anastomotic recurrence after curative resection of
colorectal cancer is relatively low compared to that of other types of recurrence, such as hepatic, lung and local recurrence. However, almost all cases of anastomotic recurrence of
colorectal cancer occur within 3 years after surgery. We experienced a rare case of anastomotic recurrence in whom colonoscopy revealed no signs of recurrence 3 years after surgery; however, anastomotic recurrence was detected over 5 years after surgery. A 60-year-old female with a history of surgery for
cancer of the cecum in her forties underwent sigmoidectomy and right
colectomy with D3
lymph node dissection for both stage IIA
sigmoid colon cancer and stage IIA transverse colon
cancer. Computed tomography and colonoscopy revealed no signs of recurrence 3 years after surgery; however, 5 years and 4 months after surgery, colonoscopy demonstrated surrounding flaring and swelling in the anastomotic area of the sigmoid colon, and a biopsy revealed an
adenocarcinoma. Under the diagnosis of anastomotic recurrence over 5 years after surgery, lower anterior resection was performed. The patient has exhibited no other signs of recurrence in the 2 years since the last operation.