Ruptured primary splenic angiosarcoma into the colon. Presentation as anal bleeding

• Published in: Acta gastro-enterologica belgica Vol. 62; no. 2; p. 248
• Main Authors: Jiménez-Heffernan, J A, Hardisson, D, Prieto-Nieto, M I, Burgos, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Belgium 01-04-1999
• Subjects: Aged; Anal Canal; Colon; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage - etiology; Hemangiosarcoma - complications; Hemangiosarcoma - pathology; Humans; Rupture, Spontaneous; Splenic Neoplasms - complications; Splenic Neoplasms - pathology; Splenic Rupture - complications; Splenic Rupture - etiology
• ISSN: 1784-3227

A 71-year-old woman presented with a six month history of constipation and abdominal discomfort, with anal bleeding during the last days. Ultrasonography and CT-scan of the abdomen showed a large heterogeneous mass that was located in the splenic region, but the nature and origin of the tumour could not be clearly established preoperatively. The clinical diagnosis was of abdominal tumour with colonic and splenic involvement, and a left hemicolectomy and splenectomy were performed. Pathologic examination revealed a primary angiosarcoma of the spleen with penetration and fistulization of the tumour into the large bowel. The patient received adjuvant radiation therapy, but she died of extensive metastastic disease from her primary angiosarcoma of the spleen nine months after surgery. In summary, splenic angiosarcoma is very difficult to diagnose preoperatively. This highly aggressive neoplasm has an overall poor prognosis, specially if it is associated with rupture and haemoperitoneum. As this case highlights, unusual forms of rupture may lead to atypical clinical presentations, increasing even more the difficulty in the diagnosis.