Multi-Year Observation of Lung Cancer Metastases to the Spleen

Abstract

Abstract:The purpose of our study was to show if there is any correlation between the location of the primary cancer site in the lungs, and the appearance of metastases in the spleen. 1,998 patients with confirmed lung cancer were analyzed. In 22 out of 22 cases, splenic lesions were detected by both, computer tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) in all 22 of them. All patients with splenic lesions detected by the US underwent US-guided biopsy. Among these patients, metastases to the spleen were histopathologically confirmed in all 22 cases. 18 metastases in the spleen originated from left lung tumors, 3 from right lung tumor. In the 1 case remaining, a pattern of benign lesion was confirmed. The authors came to the conclusion that lung cancer metastases detected in the spleen originate mainly from the left lung cancer which can be caused by higher blood flow to the left lung as compared to the right lung.