Splenic metastasis from endometrial carcinoma: report of a case and review of literature

Abstract

Splenic metastasis from endometrial carcinoma is a rare clinical event, with only 11 cases documented previously in the literature. A 58-year-old woman had surgery and radiotherapy for stage IIB endometrial carcinoma. Eighteen months later, PET scan discovered a hypermetabolic splenic mass and two hypermetabolic lung nodules. Spleen biopsy showed metastasis from endometrial carcinoma. Chemotherapy with six cycles of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and cisplatin effected a partial response of the splenic and lung metastasis. After few months, however, splenectomy was performed because of substantial growth of the spelnic metastasis and it confirmed that the splenic metastasis was of endometrial origin and solitary in the peritoneal cavity. After splenectomy, the patient received chemotherapy with six cycles of paclitaxel. To date, 6 months after splenectomy, she is alive with no intraperitoneal disease and with few stable lung metastases. This is the 12th reported case of splenic metastasis from endometrial carcinoma. Splenic metastasis from endometrial carcinoma is usually solitary splenic metastasis limited to the splenic parenchyma. Splenectomy is an appropriate treatment to avoid splenic rupture, splenic vein thrombosis and painful splenomegaly, to circumvent the splenic metastasis being a source of secondary metastatic disease, and to provide the potential for cure or extended survival. Since patients with splenic metastasis may be asymptomatic and the interval between the diagnoses of endometrial carcinoma and splenic metastasis may be prolonged, careful and extended follow-up after primary treatment of endometrial carcinoma is warranted.