1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea. 2Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea. 3Department of Clinical Pathology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Primary malignant vascular neoplasms of the spleen are rare. It has been known that the prognosis was very poor and the splenectomy before rupture could increase survival.
No effective chemotherapeutic protocol for angiosarcomas has yet to be established but patients with or without metastatic disease may be treated by chemotherapy.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: We experienced a case of primary splenic angiosarcoma in a 42-year-old woman with multiple purpuric skin rashes associated with consumptive coagulopathy:the Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. The CT showed spleen is diffusely enlarged and inhomogenously enhanced with multiple metastasis in the liver. The splenectomy was done and angiosarcoma was diagnosed. We treated her with conventional combination chemotherapy and obtained partial response. For additional response, high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation was done.
RESULT: Afer splenectomy, platelet count return to normal.
The follow up abdominal CT scan after treatment showed complete disappeared multiple metastatic lesions in the both lobe of liver and the patient has continued to do well four months following discharge.
CONCLUSION: We herein report our experience of a splenic angiosarcoma whose multiple hepatic metastases responded well to the high-dose chemotherapy.