Adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer: A case report.
BACKGROUND
Patients with adrenal metastasis from various primary tumours are regarded as cases of diffuse systemic spread and considered unsuitable for surgical resection. We herein report an operable case of heterochronic adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma in a 63-year-old woman.


METHODS
Sixteen months after low anterior resection for the primary tumour, left lower pneumonectomy was performed for a solitary lung metastasis. Four months later a right adrenal metastasis was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as sole evidence of metastatic disease. A right adrenalectomy was performed. The histopathological examination revealed adenocarcinoma compatible with the colorectal carcinoma resected 19 months earlier. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy after each operation and is alive and free of disease 21 months after the adrenalectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility of adrenal metastasis should be considered in the follow-up of patients after primary surgery for colorectal cancer, even though other sites are the main metastatic sites. Although the prognosis of adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer is poor, we suggest that patients with solitary adrenal metastasis may benefit from complete removal of it.
Kosmidis
Christopher
C
Departments of Surgery, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece. dr.ckosmidis@gmail.com.
Efthimiadis
Christopher
C
Anthimidis
George
G
Levva
Sofia
S
Ioannidou
Georgia
G
Zaramboukas
Thomas
T
Emmanouilides
Christos
C
Baka
Sofia
S
Kosmidou
Maria
M
Basdanis
Georgios
G
Fachantidis
Epaminondas
E