Abstract
Clinically curable adrenal metastasis is rare. We report a case of synchronous solitary adrenal metastasis from rectal cancer in a 51-year-old man who underwent curative resection. A right adrenal mass was found by ultrasonography during his routine physical examination and this was confirmed by computed tomography (CT). His serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level was found elevated, and colonoscopy revealed a rectal tumor located 10cm from anal verge. A simultaneous laparoscopic right adrenalectomy and anterior resection for rectal carcinoma was performed. Histopathological examination revealed well-differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma with adrenal metastasis. The patient is still alive and free from disease 6 years after the surgery. A review in the literature showed that synchronous solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma is very rare. Surgical resection and for selected patients, laparoscopic procedure may provide survival benefit and potential surgical cure for a solitary metastasis.
Highlights
Distant metastases to organs such as liver and lung are common in colorectal cancer patients
At last follow-up, in January 2013, he showed no evidence of recurrence or metastasis with a normal computed tomography (CT) scan and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), 6 years after resection of his rectal cancer and synchronous solitary adrenal metastasis
The incidence of adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma ranges from 0.15% to 17.4% with a mean percentage of 16%
Summary
Distant metastases to organs such as liver and lung are common in colorectal cancer patients. Chao He, Professor, 1-5: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China. September 17, 2013 October 10, 2013 October 22, 2013 metastatic disease at the time of presentation.[1] Based on autopsy reports, adrenal gland metastasis is not rare.[2] Generally, adrenal metastasis is considered to be a widespread disease and with poor prognosis. Solitary and clinically curable adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma is very rare.[3] Here, we present a long-term survival case with rectal cancer and a synchronous solitary adrenal metastasis who underwent radical surgical resection
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