A Case of Transverse Colon Cancer with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

A 73-year-old man administered prednisolon of 5 mg/day for pulmonary fibrosis was admitted for severe bloody stool. Blood analysis indicated severe pancytopenia, i.e., WBC 2.5×103/mm3, Hb 5.9g/dl, and PLT 1.0×103mm3. Further examination led to a diagnosis of transverse colon cancer associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Steroid control was inadequate, so we conducted splenectomy and colonectomy with lymphnode dissection (D2) synchronously by hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS). The postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged on 13th postoperative day. Few reports exist about cancer with ITP, and through this case, it appears that splenectomy under HALS is in treating transverse colon cancer assocated with ITP, especially when is necessary other abdominal surgery.