Spontaneous splenic rupture secondary to angiosarcoma

Abstract

Angiosarcoma of the spleen is a rare tumor with a very poor prognosis. Review of the world literature reveals only 57 reported cases of this neoplasm. Sixteen of these presented with an acute abdomen secondary to splenic rupture. Patients with this tumor have a mean survival time of 14.4 months after detection, and this decreases to 4.4 months after splenic rupture. The only rational treatment is splenectomy prior to splenic rupture. This paper describes another case presenting as spontaneous splenic rupture.