1. < Blood Cancers & Disorders

Splenic Cyst

Posted by stew201 @stew201, Jul 15, 2011

After having a CT scan with contrast for a post op mass, an unrelated 11cm cyst was found incidentally on my spleen. This finding has perplexed my primary physician and the hematologist that I was going to be referred to (I have an HMO). I am awaiting bloodwork to determine if the cyst is parasitic, but beyond that, I'm just told to take a wait and see approach if it's not parasitic. Does anyone have any experience with a splenic cyst? Isn't a mass that large on such a small organ dangerous?

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michellern | @michellern | Feb 18, 2019

Hi I was diagnosed with a 9 cm Splenic cyst about 3 years ago. They said wait and watch. It is now giving me trouble. My doctors don't know what to do with me and it's getting frustrating.

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michellern | @michellern | Feb 18, 2019

Hi I was diagnosed with a 9 cm Splenic cyst about 3 years ago. They said wait and watch. It is now giving me trouble. My doctors don't know what to do with me and it's getting frustrating. I know have lost 15 lbs in a month have early satiety, significant abdominal surgery nal.pain in both the left and right quadrants. I have gastritis, gastrophy. I'm so frustrated by the whole process. I'm going to request a referral to a.university or to Mayo. I can't take it any more.

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1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Feb 19, 2019
In reply to @seram "'4.1 X 3.4 x 3.5cm lobulated lesion slightly hyper intense to that of spleen' is what..." + (show)
@seram

'4.1 X 3.4 x 3.5cm lobulated lesion slightly hyper intense to that of spleen' is what I got so will take CT this afternoon. 🙂 Funny that I have no trauma so maybe some kind of infection? What a bad luck while can be considered better as I found it earlier and not in other organs. Other organs are clear from cancer fortunately. Will update later. Wish all of us good luck and have a great February.

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@seram, I was thinking about you and wondering how if you have results from your CT scan. If you can provide an update, I'd like to hear how you are doing.

@health4me, Also wondering how you were doing. Have you gotten a 2nd opinion yet to determine if a splenectomy is needed?

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1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Feb 19, 2019
In reply to @michellern "Hi I was diagnosed with a 9 cm Splenic cyst about 3 years ago. They said..." + (show)
@michellern

Hi I was diagnosed with a 9 cm Splenic cyst about 3 years ago. They said wait and watch. It is now giving me trouble. My doctors don't know what to do with me and it's getting frustrating. I know have lost 15 lbs in a month have early satiety, significant abdominal surgery nal.pain in both the left and right quadrants. I have gastritis, gastrophy. I'm so frustrated by the whole process. I'm going to request a referral to a.university or to Mayo. I can't take it any more.

Jump to this post

Hello @michellern

I can understand your frustration. Dealing with chronic pain can really wear on you, can't it? Getting a second opinion from Mayo or a university medical center sounds like a wise idea.

Will you post again and let me know how you are doing with that process?

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2 replies
michellern | @michellern | Feb 19, 2019
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @michellern I can understand your frustration. Dealing with chronic pain can really wear on you,..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @michellern

I can understand your frustration. Dealing with chronic pain can really wear on you, can't it? Getting a second opinion from Mayo or a university medical center sounds like a wise idea.

Will you post again and let me know how you are doing with that process?

Jump to this post

I had an upper and lower GI. No cancer in colon ir stomach. However, have gastritis, gastrophy. I asked about the gastrophy and if there was a connection between my fatty liver and spleen pain. They just looked at me. My primary and GI guy are doing their own thing and not putting the pieces together. No I haven't gotten a second opinion. Dealing with blizzard after blizzard here in MT.

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health4me | @health4me | Feb 19, 2019
In reply to @hopeful33250 "@seram, I was thinking about you and wondering how if you have results from your CT..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

@seram, I was thinking about you and wondering how if you have results from your CT scan. If you can provide an update, I'd like to hear how you are doing.

@health4me, Also wondering how you were doing. Have you gotten a 2nd opinion yet to determine if a splenectomy is needed?

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@hopeful33250 , I got a second opinion from a general surgeon and he said to continue to monitor the 3.6cm spleen cyst for now.

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1 reply
michellern | @michellern | Feb 19, 2019
In reply to @health4me "@hopeful33250 , I got a second opinion from a general surgeon and he said to continue..." + (show)
@health4me

@hopeful33250 , I got a second opinion from a general surgeon and he said to continue to monitor the 3.6cm spleen cyst for now.

Jump to this post

Yes from what I've read if it is less than 5 cm to watch and wait if it isn't causing problems. Mine however, has been.

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michellern | @michellern | Feb 19, 2019
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @michellern I can understand your frustration. Dealing with chronic pain can really wear on you,..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @michellern

I can understand your frustration. Dealing with chronic pain can really wear on you, can't it? Getting a second opinion from Mayo or a university medical center sounds like a wise idea.

Will you post again and let me know how you are doing with that process?

Jump to this post

Yes and please see my other comments. Thank you.

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1 reply
leazard | @leazard | May 24, 2019

Hi all, I was diagnosed with two splenic cysts (5.5 and 4.2 cm) via ultrasound recently. I am waiting on CT results as well. I am a librarian, so I immediately took to researching all the latest papers published in the last 5-6 years. I too am experiencing the nonchalant and flippant attitudes of most of the medical professionals I have consulted thus far. The literature says full splenectomy if you have more than one cyst or if your cyst is larger than 5 cm and symptomatic (i.e. painful). I have two and they're big(ish) and so far have been told to wait and see by a general surgeon (family friend) and told it was no big deal by a GI doc. I will ask for a referral to a hematologist once I see my family doctor to go over the CT results. I am also in a lot of discomfort and increasing pain on the left side. I also have bad left shoulder pain (apparently common with this) and GI issues which I am convinced is all related. For those consulting with a Gastroenterologist for splenic cysts, someone in another group told me not to bother as they won't do anything about the spleen, only a hematologist will. Now, I don't know if that is true, but I thought it was interesting considering how my GI doc reacted.

I'm in Vancouver, BC, Canada and our medical system is painfully slow. Lots of waiting. I'm 35 and wondering if a surgical option is better to do now when I'm relatively young and can bounce back quicker than waiting until this gets really out of hand and doing a full splenectomy when I'm older and possibly less healthy. If anyone is in Canada and has advice about our system or a doctor who is knowledgeable about this, please let me know! According to the literature, splenic cysts are relatively rare and I haven't been able to find a doctor in my country who has experience with this yet. Anyway, I will keep you all posted as to my progress as this unfolds.

REPLY
1 reply
2011panc | @2011panc | May 25, 2019
In reply to @leazard "Hi all, I was diagnosed with two splenic cysts (5.5 and 4.2 cm) via ultrasound recently...." + (show)
@leazard

Hi all, I was diagnosed with two splenic cysts (5.5 and 4.2 cm) via ultrasound recently. I am waiting on CT results as well. I am a librarian, so I immediately took to researching all the latest papers published in the last 5-6 years. I too am experiencing the nonchalant and flippant attitudes of most of the medical professionals I have consulted thus far. The literature says full splenectomy if you have more than one cyst or if your cyst is larger than 5 cm and symptomatic (i.e. painful). I have two and they're big(ish) and so far have been told to wait and see by a general surgeon (family friend) and told it was no big deal by a GI doc. I will ask for a referral to a hematologist once I see my family doctor to go over the CT results. I am also in a lot of discomfort and increasing pain on the left side. I also have bad left shoulder pain (apparently common with this) and GI issues which I am convinced is all related. For those consulting with a Gastroenterologist for splenic cysts, someone in another group told me not to bother as they won't do anything about the spleen, only a hematologist will. Now, I don't know if that is true, but I thought it was interesting considering how my GI doc reacted.

I'm in Vancouver, BC, Canada and our medical system is painfully slow. Lots of waiting. I'm 35 and wondering if a surgical option is better to do now when I'm relatively young and can bounce back quicker than waiting until this gets really out of hand and doing a full splenectomy when I'm older and possibly less healthy. If anyone is in Canada and has advice about our system or a doctor who is knowledgeable about this, please let me know! According to the literature, splenic cysts are relatively rare and I haven't been able to find a doctor in my country who has experience with this yet. Anyway, I will keep you all posted as to my progress as this unfolds.

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@leazard Just my general knowledge of cysts in general. They are fluid filled and the wait and see methodology is often used, as they may resolve on their own. If they do not, or begin causing problems (which it appears yours are) action may need to be taken. I applaud your research and encourage you to mention your research findings and symptoms to any physicians you see regarding this issue. Blessings.

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