A Case of Hemangiosarcoma of the Spleen in which Supermass Chemotherapy was Successfully Performed

Shigeru Kiyama, Naoki Imai, Senji Kasahara*, Tuyoshi Takami** and Masanao Saio**

Departments of Surgery and Department of Internal Medicine*, Kisogawa Municipal Hospital, Ichinomiya
Immunopathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine**

A 48-year-old woman reporting left hypochondriac pain, together with anemia and thrombocytopenia identified elsewhere, was found on palpation to have hard elastic masses in the left upper quadrant. Blood tests confirmed anemia and thrombocytopenia. Computed tomography (CT) showed partially contrasting nonuniform internal tumors corresponding to the spleen. FDG-PET indicated an accumulation from the left upper quadrant to the flank. Because thrombocytopenia had been worsened by blood transfusion and platelet transfusions, we initially diagnosed as pancytopenia due to hypersplenism, necessitating splenectomy. The extracted 15×12×12 cm specimen weighted, 990 g, had a smooth surface, and was hard and elastic. The cut surface was solid. Histopathological examination indicated hemangiosarcoma. After surgery, she was treated with supermass chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. As of this writing 3 years after surgery, she continues to do well with no signs of recurrence.

Key words
splenic hemangiosarcoma, supermass chemotherapy, peripheral blood stem cell transplantation

Reprint requests
Shigeru Kiyama Adbanced Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Gifu University
1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 500-1194 JAPAN

Accepted
January 31, 2007

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