Huge splenic epidermoid cyst with elevation of serum CA19-9 level

Abstract

A 30-year-old female was referred to our hospital for further examination of liver dysfunction. A huge, soft mass was noted in her left upper quadrant on physical examination. Abdominal ultrasonography and computedtomography revealed a huge cystic tumor of 20 cm in the hilus of the spleen. Serum CA19-9 was 491 U/ml, and splenectomy was performed under suspicion of a malignant cystic tumor. The inner surface of the cyst was lined by squamous epithelial cells that were immunohistochemically positive for CA19-9. Serum CA19-9 level was normalized after the surgery. Our case of a very rare, huge epidermoid cyst of the spleen suggests that measurement of the serum CA19-9 level is useful for evaluating therapeutic efficacy of a splenic epidermoid cyst.