Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Colopathy Mimicking Malignant Masses of the Colon: A Report of Three Cases and Review of the Literature

The adverse effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the colon have been reported as a wide spectrum of symptoms, signs, and endoscopic findings. Despite the extensive use of NSAIDs, and the potential seriousness of NSAID colopathy, this condition often goes unrecognized or misdiagnosed. We report three cases of NSAID colopathy in which the diagnosis of malignancy was incorrectly made based on endoscopic findings. Before any surgical intervention, we entertained the diagnosis of NSAID colopathy based on clinical presentation. Ultimately, in two of the three cases, surgery was avoided and the lesions resolved. We present their clinical course and a review of the pertinent literature reviewing theories of the pathophysiology, the range of clinical presentations, and the pathological findings of this entity.