title: Demanding Diagnosis of Splenic Angiosarcoma as Cause of Delayed Treatment of Spontaneous Splenic Rupture: A Case Report and Literature Review.
abstract: Background.Primary splenic angiosarcoma is a very rare mesenchymal malignant tumor associated with a poor prognosis due to its high metastatic potential. This disease can be easily neglected and spontaneous splenic rupture is a frequent manifestation at the time of diagnosis leading to a poor outcome because of peritoneal dissemination.Case Presentation.We describe the case of a 49-year-old man who presented with asthenia, left upper quadrant abdominal pain, and anemia. Computerized tomography scan showed an enlarged spleen with no nodules and a nontraumatic rupture of the splenic capsule. Splenectomy was performed on account of the severe anemia and histopathology examination showed a primary angiosarcoma.Conclusions.Splenic angiosarcoma should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses in patients with nontraumatic spleen rupture and a specific previous medical history. Regrettably, splenectomy allows for a definitive diagnosis but not a curative treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leva
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy; Department of Pathology, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9625-1637
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagni
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9721-6304
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Famularo
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7335-8394
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gianotti