Isolated splenic metastases from colon cancer: clinical observations

Isolated splenic metastases from colorectal cancer after radical surgical treatment are quite rare. This frequency of metastases is explained by the anatomical, functional and immunological characteristics of the spleen. The literature usually describes single clinical cases followed by accompanied systematic analysis and discussion. Most of the cases are asymptomatic and are accidentally diagnosed, during different types of imaging tests, including increased levels of tumor markers. The progression free survival was 3 – 144 months after surgical treatment of the primary tumor in most of the patients. By the nature of the lesion, metastases can be synchronous and metachronous, as well as solitary and multiple.

Aim. To discuss two clinical observations of isolated splenic metastases in patients after left colic flexure cancer surgical treatment.

Materials and methods. We observed 2 female patients, 68 and 70 years old, with isolated splenic metastatic after left colic flexure cancer radical surgical treatment.

Results. Both cases are considered to be metachronous and the interval of absence of disease manifestations are 21 and 10 months, respectively. The patients with stage IIB and IIC left colic flexure cancer underwent left hemicolectomy followed by adjuvant polychemotherapy using regimen with 6 cycles of FOLFOX. The histological study revealed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with invasion into all layers of the wall and into the surrounding tissue. There were no lymph node metastases. In the course of dynamic observation, during the next examination with the help of ultrasound examination we revealed splenic metastasis, and confirmed this using positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The disease was without clinical picture. The time interval after the surgery before diagnosis was 21 and 10 months, respectively. Surgery was performed in the volume of splenectomy. Isolated splenic metastases in the absence of other manifestations of the disease were found intraoperatively. The histological study showed the splenic metastasis of the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. The polychemotherapy using regimen with 6 cycles of XELOX was performed during the postoperative period. Patients are alive without signs of the disease over the period of 5 and 26 months, respectively.

Conclusion. Isolated splenic metastases are extremely rare, more often when the primary tumor is located in the left side of the colon. The showed cases illustrate the need and importance of the monitoring the patients after surgical treatment for colon cancer. The use of positron emission tomography/computed tomography helps to understand the real prevalence of the tumor process, without using invasive methods. The surgery in the volume of splenectomy followed by chemotherapy are the main therapeutic options. In one clinical case, the metastases were multiple, and in the other one – was solitary metastasis. Patients are alive without signs of the disease over the period of 5 and 26 months, respectively.