Gastric cancer with sarcoid reactions in the regional lymph nodes, the stomach wall, and the splenic parenchyma: Report of a case

Abstract

A 66-year-old man was referred to our institute for investigation of heartburn and epigastralgia. Endoscopic examination demonstrated a type 4′ gastric cancer which occupied the whole stomach. At laparotomy, multiple small nodules were found in the spleen which were diagnosed as metastases of the gastric cancer. Thus, total gastrectomy with distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and left adrenalectomy, combined with D4 lymph node dissection, was performed. Microscopic examination of the tumor revealed tubular and mucinous adenocarcinoma which invaded the muscularis propria. Sarcoid reactions were observed in the submucosa adjacent to the carcinoma tissue. Only one lymph node from station no. 8a demonstrated tumor metastasis, while those from station nos. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 16 revealed sarcoid reactions without tumor metastases. Subsequently, the multiple small nodules that had been presumed to be splenic metastases at laparotomy were found to be sarcoid reactions similar to those seen in the submucosa and regional lymph nodes. Since no skin or ocular lesions indicative of systemic sarcoidosis were seen in this patient, a diagnosis of advanced gastric cancer associated with sarcoid reactions was established. To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports regarding an association between sarcoid reactions in the spleen and gastric cancer.