Colorectal cancers in children without any predisposing factors. A report of eight cases and review of the literature.

Carcinoma of the colon is usually associated with conditions such as familial adenomatous polyposis, and ulcerative colitis. Primary carcinoma of the colon is very rare in children. A series of eight children with primary carcinoma of the colon is presented. The commonest symptom was right iliac fossa pain. All children had poorly differentiated, highly aggressive tumours. In spite of surgery and adjuvant treatment, the survival was dismal with all the children dying within one year of presentation.