Spleen cancer is one of the rarest forms of malignant oncological pathologies. In most cases, the clinical picture in oncopathology of the spleen is blurred, so it is mistaken for a number of other diseases. The disease occurs in patients of different age groups and gender. The formation of a tumor in this area is considered very dangerous, since the lymphatic system in the body is responsible for resisting carcinogenic cells. Timely detection of symptoms of spleen cancer gives the most favorable prognosis for survival.
Danger of pathology
Let's see what danger spleen cancer poses to human life. The organ is located in the upper part of the abdominal cavity on the left, directly under the chest. The spleen is protected by the ninth and tenth ribs. The size of the body is no more than a fist, the shape resembles a bean. The spleen has a soft and spongy structure, it is included in the lymphatic system. The main function of the spleen in the human body is to ensure immunity at the proper level. It also acts as a blood filter, removing all unnecessary from its composition, including viruses and pathogenic bacteria.
What fabrics does it consist of?
The spleen consists of two types of tissues - red and white pulp, the functions of which differ. The white pulp is responsible for the production of lymphocytes, which are light blood cells. Their role in ensuring the protective functions of the body is very important, since it is these cells that help prevent infection by infectious pathogens. Red tissues act as a blood filter, and also maintain the content and production of red blood cells at the proper level. The red pulp recycles damaged, abnormal, or old blood cells. In addition, it accumulates platelets and leukocytes, which determines the rate of blood clotting and provides regenerative functions. The spleen is very important in the human body.
What is the danger of damage to this organ?
The main danger of oncological lesions of this organ is that it is almost impossible to detect the disease in the early stages of its development. The clinical picture of the course of the pathology is blurred, and the initial signs of the disease are attributed to overwork, a large amount of work and the presence of stressful situations. The examination is often carried out at the moment when the second or third stage occurs.cancer development. In this case, conservative methods of treating pathology are completely excluded.
Deterioration of blood clotting
Another danger of developing spleen cancer is a deterioration in blood clotting. This greatly complicates the selection of a therapeutic regimen, since performing an organ resection or other surgical intervention becomes very dangerous. In this case, the likelihood of severe uncontrolled bleeding increases.
The tumor in the spleen deals the greatest blow to the body's defense system. As a result, the body becomes susceptible to attacks by pathogenic microflora, which leads to easy infection of the patient. The symptoms of spleen cancer are discussed below.
Causes of a tumor
First of all, the predisposition to the formation of malignant tumors is due to trauma to the abdomen, even if the damage did not cause rupture of the spleen. In addition, a benign neoplasm in the organ shows a tendency to malignancy. In addition, the disease can be metastasized by a tumor in another organ.
What kind of cancer can metastasize to the spleen? Metastasis occurs most often in ovarian cancer, breast cancer, lung carcinoma, and melanoma.
An important role in the formation of cancer plays a genetic predisposition. There are also other risk factors that can provoke oncological damage to the organ, including:
- Exposure to the body of chemicals.
- Radiation impact. The causes of spleen cancer are not fully understood.
- History of close relatives of lymphoma or leukemia.
- Completing a course of chemotherapy.
- Diseases of the lymph tissue in a chronic form.
- Some types of infectious diseases.
- Autoimmune conditions associated with AIDS and HIV.
Additional factors
In addition, organ transplantation or a long-standing oncological lesion of the body can become a factor provoking the formation of spleen cancer in adults. The main risk groups are elderly patients, as well as athletes who, due to their activities, cannot avoid injuries. Mechanical impact and blows to the abdominal cavity can provoke the development of cancer.
Symptoms of early stage spleen cancer
Enlargement of the spleen, known in medical practice as splenomegaly, is not a separate disease, but rather indicates a systemic disorder. Nonspecific manifestations of neoplasm in the spleen are the following symptoms:
- Sickness. Accompanied by a feeling of discomfort in the left upper abdomen, radiating to the shoulder. When taking a deep breath, the intensity of the pain syndrome increases.
- Feeling of fullness in the abdomen even outside meals or after eating a small amount of food. This symptom is explained by the pressure of the spleen, which increases in size, on adjacentorgans, including the stomach.
- Anemia. Weakness, pale skin and dizziness accompany this condition.
- Fatigue.
- Tendency to develop infectious diseases.
- Bleeding of internal organs.
- Disturbed appetite.
- Pronounced hair loss.
In addition to the listed signs, there is also such a characteristic symptom of spleen cancer as loss of skin elasticity. This causes wrinkles and dehydration of the skin.
Symptoms of the advanced stage
Spleen cancer has a similar pace with lymphosarcoma and angiosarcoma, so the progression of the pathology is rapid. If it was not possible to detect the presence of cancer at an early stage of its development, the disease begins to progress and the patient develops such severe and dangerous conditions as:
- Sudden weight loss, exhaustion of the body up to anorexia.
- Increase in body temperature due to intoxication of the body. This symptom is accompanied by aching muscles and bones, as well as chills.
- Swelling and enlargement of other internal organs.
- Pain of a constant nature in the left hypochondrium.
- Destruction of bone tissues. Tendency to fractures, violation of the integrity of the teeth.
In addition, with stage 4 spleen cancer, respiratory function is impaired. According to laboratory studies, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia are detected, which is explained bydysfunctional disorder of the body.
The symptoms of spleen cancer in women are similar to those of departure. Patients develop: nausea after eating; heaviness in the left hypochondrium; allergies to fruits and vegetables; persistent constipation or diarrhea. There are also sudden mood swings, acne or excessive dryness of the skin, noticeable weight fluctuations.
Diagnosis
If a patient has pain that is aching or acute in nature, manifesting itself constantly in the region of the left hypochondrium, you should consult a doctor. Signs that may alert are loss of appetite, unreasonable weight loss, and increased fatigue. In addition, swelling in the abdominal cavity cannot be ignored. If, along with the listed symptoms, blood impurities are found in the feces, you should immediately contact a specialist.
The doctor prescribes therapy only after a complete examination of the patient, as well as after receiving the results of laboratory tests. The main methods for diagnosing spleen cancer are as follows:
- Analysis in the laboratory. An extensive blood test is scheduled to assess its main indicators.
- Bone marrow sampling for research.
- Magnetic resonance imaging, which allows to determine the presence of tumor metastases.
- Spiral type of computed tomography.
- Ultrasound.
The listed diagnostic methods make it possible to determinethe size of the spleen, as well as the volume of the tumor, the stage of its development and the presence of metastases. In addition, diagnostics help to assess the quality of the blood supply process.
How to treat the spleen?
Modern treatments
Save the spleen is possible only if the cancer was detected at an early stage of its development. Waiting tactics are not always used, since in this case it is not effective. The most common treatments are as follows:
- Chemotherapy. Treatment is carried out by introducing several drugs that stop the growth of pathogenic cells due to the chemical properties of their components. The action of drugs has a cumulative effect, since in order to obtain a therapeutic effect, it is necessary to reach the maximum concentration. Chemotherapy is always carried out in a course, while the choice of drugs is made taking into account the stage of development of the pathology. The main complication of this method is complete hair loss
- Radiation exposure. When choosing this method, a targeted treatment of the tumor with high-energy beams occurs. Irradiation can be carried out both externally and internally. Complications are similar to chemotherapy.
- Surgery. Spleen cancer is treated by complete removal of the organ, as well as metastases, if present. After the operation, radiation or chemotherapy is prescribed, which is aimed at preventing recurrence. The operation is performed under general anesthesia, and its duration can be up to several hours. As a result of complete resection of the organthe patient acquires the social status of a complete loss of working capacity. However, in the case of timely surgical intervention, it is possible to prolong life.
- Stem cell transplant. This method is the most modern, however, due to the high cost of the procedure, it is carried out infrequently. The purpose of the method is the production of new lymphocytes by the body, which increase the body's resistance to the negative effects of the tumor. Stem cell transplantation can occur both through a donor and from the patient himself, if it was possible to take the material before chemotherapy and radiation.
How to treat the spleen, the doctor will tell you. The therapeutic method is selected depending on the age of the patient, the stage of tumor development, and the presence or absence of metastasized cells. No oncologist can guarantee the effectiveness of the treatment.
Forecast
If spleen cancer has reached an inoperable stage, then the prognosis for survival is one year. If it was possible to carry out an operative intervention in time, which consists in resection of the organ, then the prognosis for spleen cancer is much more favorable. If the examination revealed the spread of metastases, then life expectancy is unlikely to exceed a few months.
A person is able to survive after the removal of an organ, but his quality of life will be significantly reduced. Such treatment will affect the body's resistance to infectious lesions. The liver takes over part of the functions of the spleen, but it is not possible to fully compensate for the loss of the organ.
