Breast cancer metastasis to the spleen: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Splenic metastasis from cancers is extremely rare. They usually occur and are detected simultaneously with metastasis to other organs. We present a case of splenic metastasis from carcinoma of the breast occurring 5 years after initial treatment. The metastatic recurrence was an oligometastic form made from the association of a unique bone metastasis to a rib and the metastasis to the spleen. Treatment of the metastatic recurrence was a second line hormonotherapy as the primitive tumor was estrogen receptors positive and gave a 2 year's long control of the disease. A clinical progression occurred then, the patient complained from pain in the left hypochondrium and was objective on [18F]-FDG PET which leaded to splenectomy. This case is being reported because of the rarity of the lesion and its originality is the first reported case with use of an <i>in vivo</i> demonstration of estrogen receptors expression in the spleen metastasis using PET/CT with 16α-[18F]-Fluoroestradiol.