Clinical presentation

A 54-year-old Chinese woman presented with a 2-month history of abdominal distension, discomfort and reduced appetite. She also complained of increased stool frequency (3–5 bowel movements per day) with non-bloody loose stools, but no significant change in her weight. She had a history of total hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma 12 years ago. Her physical examination yielded no discernible anomalies. Laboratory examinations, including haematological assessments, liver function tests and renal function tests, exhibited no evident irregularities. Moreover, stool specimens tested negative for viruses, parasites or bacteria. CT scan of the abdomen revealed no abnormalities. Consequently, she underwent a colonoscopy, which revealed multiple nodular and polypoidal protrusions (figure 1A) in the ileocecal region, ascending colon and transverse colon. These …