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Postsurgery Activation of Dormant Liver Micrometastasis: a Case Report and Review of Literature

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Abstract

Background

We present the case of a 55-year-old woman who underwent a Whipple procedure for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The preoperative work-up showed no signs of liver metastasis and confirmed the patient’s operability, but at less than 40 days postoperatively there were diffuse liver metastasis present on CT. This rapid evolution raises the question whether current staging systems are adequate in determining a patient’s operability. It also suggests an interaction between the primary tumor and the host and the existence of disseminated tumor cells.

Discussion

In this article, we give an explanation for the clinical evolution presented in our case using the “integrated organ” and the “concomitant resistance” hypotheses. We believe that, if these theories continue to prove their viability, the search for disseminated tumor cells will be essential for good clinical practice in this type of pathology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General and Digestive Surgery, AZ Groeninge, President Kennedylaan 4, 8500, Kortrijk, Belgium

    Bert Deylgat, Frank Van Rooy, Franky Vansteenkiste & Dirk Devriendt

  2. Department of Gastro-enterology, AZ Groeninge, Kortrijk, Belgium

    Christophe George

Authors
  1. Bert Deylgat
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  2. Frank Van Rooy
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  3. Franky Vansteenkiste
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  4. Dirk Devriendt
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  5. Christophe George
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Correspondence to Bert Deylgat.

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Deylgat, B., Van Rooy, F., Vansteenkiste, F. et al. Postsurgery Activation of Dormant Liver Micrometastasis: a Case Report and Review of Literature. J Gastrointest Canc 42, 1–4 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-010-9182-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-010-9182-8

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