[Primary splenic angiosarcoma]

Primary splenic angiosarcoma is a rare neoplasm. The symptomatology is highly variable, the diagnosis can be made usually at autopsy. The prognosis of the tumor is uniformly poor. Splenectomy prior to rupture prolongs survival. The authors describe the case of primary splenic angiosarcoma in an 54-year-old man and some diagnostic problems connected with it. The symptomatology causes diagnostic difficulties. The patient only presented weakness, enlargement of circumference of the abdomen and high hypochromic anaemia. The diagnosis was made premortem at the time of splenectomy, as a result of histological examination of tumor. Autopsy 4 weeks later revealed metastases to the liver, peritoneum, omentum which caused haemoperitoneum. Our case confirms uniformly poor prognosis of primary splenic angiosarcoma.