SOLITARY SPLENIC METASTASIS FROM COLON CARCINOMA-REPORT OF TWO CASES-

Abstract

Two cases of splenic metastasis from colon carcinoma without other organ metastasis are reported. Patient 1 was a 76-year-old man, who underwent a right hemicolectomy for ascending colon carmcinoma. Twenty two months later, a splenectomy and partial resection of the pancreas were performed for solitary metastasis to the spleen. He was alive with local recurrence 25 months after the second operation. Patient 2 was a 74-year-old man, who underwent a right hemicolectomy for ascending colon carcinoma. One year later, a splenectomy and caudal pancreatectomy was performed for solitary splenic metastasis from the ascending colon carcinoma. He was alive with no evidence of recurrence 5 months after the second operation. In both patient 1 and 2, the histological diagnoses of both the colon and splenic tumors were the same. Splenic metastasis after a colorectal carcinoma operation is rare. Only 30 cases including ours have been reported in Japan. Most splenic metastases occurred within 1 year after the colorectal operation, and prognosis was poor. Micrometastasis to the spleen might have already occurred at the time of operation for colorectal carcinoma, therefore, intensive chemotherapy after operation is recommended for splenic metastasis from colorectal carcinoma.