Metachronous solitary left adrenal gland metastasis of right colon cancer treated with laparoscopic approach.

AIM

Adrenal gland metastasis are the second most common type of adrenal mass lesions after adenomas and they could be related to numerous malignancies; Literature shows that adrenal metastasis deriving from colorectal cancer are very rare.

MATERIAL OF THE STUDY

A 71-year old - male patient, treated two years before with right colectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for right colon cancer, came to our attention after the diagnosis at follow up, of a left adrenal gland mass; CT scan and CT - PET did not show other pathological findings.

RESULTS

The patient underwent left adrenalectomy with trans-peritoneal laparoscopic approach: the definitive histological examination diagnosed metastatic tissue of colonic cancer in left adrenal gland.

CONCLUSIONS

Adrenal gland metastases are common clinical entities, but which of them arise starting from colonic cancer are very rare and they are generally discovered about 1 year after the first diagnosis of cancer. Early diagnosis, laparoscopic radical excision when feasible and eventual adjuvant radio-chemotherapy are actually the proper clinical management of adrenal gland metastases finalized to better outcomes in terms of longer survival rate and quality of life.

KEY WORDS

Adrenal gland, Colorectal cancer, Laparoscopic, Metastasis.