Abstract
The case involved a 77-year-old woman who underwent low anterior resection of the rectum for rectal cancer in March 2006 and lobectomy of lung for pulmonary metastasis in July 2007. No adjuvant chemotherapy was added after the lung resection. Abdominal CT scan performed in June 2011 revealed swelling of the pancreas tail, and FDG-PET was positive. Cancer of the pancreas tail was diagnosed and resection of the pancreas tail and body with associated resection of the spleen was performed. Pathology revealed findings characteristic of adenocarcinoma of the rectum and perineural infiltrating features which should be seen in pancreatic cancer were obscure, so that metachronous pancreatic metastasis after surgery for rectal carcinoma was diagnosed.
Cases of pancreatic metastasis of rectal carcinoma which can be candidates for surgical resection are often detected when more than five years have elapsed after resection of the primary cancer nest. Long-term clinical observation would be mandatory.
