5-Year survival after splenectomy in a patient with recurrent cutaneous melanoma: a case report. Issue 6 (2nd November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Roeck, Lynn; Wuyts, Laura; Peters, Benjamin; Ruppert, Martin
• Is Part Of: Acta chirurgica belgica. Volume 118:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 384
• Page End: 387
• Publication Date: 2018-11-02
• Subjects: Oncology -- cutaneous melanoma -- isolated splenic metastasis -- splenectomy -- metastasectomy -- stage IV melanoma; Surgery -- Periodicals; General Surgery; Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Surgery; Chirurgie (geneeskunde); Periodicals; Periodicals; 617.005
• DOI: 10.1080/00015458.2017.1399661
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-5458

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Splenic metastases of melanoma are uncommon and generally part of a disseminated disease with a poor prognosis. In case of solitary visceral metastasis, surgical resection often remains an effective treatment. This case describes a long-term survival after splenectomy for a recurrent melanoma. Methods: We present a 55-year-old female with a solitary splenic metastasis. Her medical history revealed a melanoma of the foot in 2007 and an in-transit metastasis in 2011. A PET-CT revealed in 2012 the presence of a small aspecific lesion in the spleen. Close follow-up was chosen. Since PET-CT and MRI showed a progressive lesion, a laparoscopic splenectomy was performed. Results: Histological report confirmed the diagnosis of a metastatic lesion. Sixty months after the first radiographic evidence of the splenic metastasis, follow-up revealed no signs of residual disease. Conclusions: Although current systemic approaches demonstrate to provide clinically important benefit, patients with oligometastatic disease should be evaluated for surgical metastasectomy. A laparoscopic approach for splenic metastasis is shown to be a safe treatment. This disease-free survival of 60 months in a patient with a history of an in-transit metastasis has not been published before. A splenectomy for a solitary metastasis could prolong the survival, even in a recurrent melanoma.