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.