Which two primary carcinomas are most commonly seen with splenic metastasis?

Which two primary carcinomas are most commonly seen with splenic metastasis?

• A. Lung and Breast
• B. Prostate and Kidney
• C. Colon and Pancreas
• D. Ovarian and Gastric

Answer: (A)

Splenic metastases arise from cancers that frequently spread through the bloodstream. Among all primaries, lung and breast cancers are the two most common sources of splenic metastases, so they account for the majority of cases seen in practice and in autopsy data. Their frequent initiation of hematogenous spread makes the spleen a possible, albeit still uncommon, destination for malignant cells. In imaging, splenic metastases often appear as focal nodules within the spleen, which may be hypoechoic on ultrasound and show variable enhancement on CT or MRI, typically in the context of widespread disease. Other cancers—such as prostate, kidney, colon, pancreas, ovarian, or gastric—tend to metastasize to different organs or follow different patterns, so they are less commonly implicated in splenic involvement.

Splenic metastases arise from cancers that frequently spread through the bloodstream. Among all primaries, lung and breast cancers are the two most common sources of splenic metastases, so they account for the majority of cases seen in practice and in autopsy data. Their frequent initiation of hematogenous spread makes the spleen a possible, albeit still uncommon, destination for malignant cells. In imaging, splenic metastases often appear as focal nodules within the spleen, which may be hypoechoic on ultrasound and show variable enhancement on CT or MRI, typically in the context of widespread disease. Other cancers—such as prostate, kidney, colon, pancreas, ovarian, or gastric—tend to metastasize to different organs or follow different patterns, so they are less commonly implicated in splenic involvement.