Can The Spleen Prohibit Tumor Cell Proliferation?

Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Colorectal Cancer
Article Date: 17 Oct 2007 - 7:00 PDT

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Primary and metastatic tumors of the spleen are described as unusual, excluding involvement by lymphoma. Indeed, isolated splenic metastasis from colorectal carcinoma is not a common occurrence. Its rareness has been hypothetically explained by several characteristics of the spleen, such as anatomical, histological and immunological features.

One case of isolated splenic metastasis from colonic carcinoma with a concomitant splenic abscess conducted by the research group of Dr. Adolfo Pisanu from Universit¨¤ degli Studi di Cagliari has been recently reported in the November 7 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology because of the interesting characteristics of this rare clinical entity.

Surprisingly, only 41 cases of isolated splenic metastasis from colonic carcinoma have been reported in the world literature. The rareness of splenic metastasis arising from colonic carcinoma suggests the existence of some mechanism that prohibits tumor cell proliferation in the spleen.

Anatomical and immunological characteristics may be reasons for the rarity of isolated splenic metastasis. Because the spleen is the second largest organ of the immunological system, immune surveillance appears to potently inhibit tumor cell proliferation. Moreover, experimental studies have shown that the growth rate of cancer cells injected into the spleen is significantly lower than that of the same cells injected into the liver.

The diagnosis of isolated splenic metastasis is generally made by imaging studies during the diagnostic evaluation of a colonic cancer. Only a few patients with splenic metastasis become symptomatic because of the presence of an associated splenic abscess or spontaneous rupture of the spleen.

When colorectal cancer is suspected, careful examination of the abdominal CT scan can allow early diagnosis of a splenic involvement by the tumor. Clinicians must pay close attention to the spleen for the early diagnosis of isolated splenic metastasis when routinely evaluating abdominal CT scan and abdominal ultrasonography following surgery for colorectal cancer.

Splenectomy followed by chemotherapy seems to be the preferred treatment of isolated splenic metastases from colorectal carcinoma. Literature review suggests there might be a significant improvement of long-term survival following splenectomy for metachronous splenic metastasis from colonic carcinoma. Nevertheless, prognosis for synchronous splenic metastasis seems to be related to the advanced stage of the disease.

Finally, the spleen is considered unfavorable to the development of metastases but the reason for this is not clearly understood. Following the small number of cases reported in the literature, no definitive conclusions can be drawn. Therefore, the researchers are looking forward to new studies to elucidate this issue.

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Reference: Pisanu A, Ravarino A, Nieddu R, Uccheddu A.Synchronous isolated splenic metastasis from colon carcinoma and concomitant splenic abscess: A case report and review of the literature. World J Gastroenterology 2007; 13(41): 5516-5520

Correspondence to: Dr. Adolfo Pisanu, Clinica Chirurgica, Universite degli Studi di Cagliari, Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio, Via Ospedale 46, Cagliari 09124, Italy.

About World Journal of Gastroenterology

World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection for providing a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2003-2000 IF: 3.318, 2.532, 1.445 and 0.993. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. The WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.

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Source: You-De Chang
World Journal of Gastroenterology

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