The liver, the largest organ inside the body, changes food into energy, removes toxins from the blood and produces bile, which aids in digestion. The spleen, part of the lymphatic system, fights infection and maintains the fluid balance in the body. Many diseases and disorders cause the liver and spleen to become enlarged. The entire spleen can be removed; however, only a portion of the liver can be removed without a liver transplant.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph tissue that is in the lymph nodes and other locations, such as the bone marrow, spleen and liver. The cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is unknown, and the first sign is often an enlarged lymph node. The most common ages for Hodgkin's lymphoma are 15 to 35 and 50 to 70.
Symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma include fatigue, night sweats, itching and pain below the ribs due to an enlarged spleen or liver. Diagnostic testing may include blood chemistry to check for liver function, lymph node biopsy, and abdominal surgery for a biopsy of the liver and for spleen removal.
Treatment options depend on the staging evaluation and include radiation and/or chemotherapy, blood transfusions and antibiotics.
Leukemia
Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood in which an abnormal number of white blood cells are produced. Leukemic cells, or abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow, accumulate and interfere with the normal production of the red blood cells needed to supply oxygen to the tissues in the body, the platelets that cause adequate blood clotting and healthy white cells that fight infections.
Of the many forms of leukemia, the main four are acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia. Symptoms used for diagnosing leukemia include routine blood tests, enlarged lymph nodes and an enlarged liver or spleen.
Treatment and prognosis for leukemia depends on the type and stage at the time of diagnosis. Cleveland Clinic reports that about 90 percent of children with leukemia go into remission, and over half are cured completely.
Myelofibrosis
Myelofibrosis, a serious disorder that causes extensive scarring in the bone marrow, is more common in people older than 50, according to MayoClinic.com. Since myelofibrosis usually develops slowly, many people have no noticeable symptoms initially. As myelofibrosis progresses, symptoms such as weakness, pain or pressure from an enlarged spleen, enlarged liver, fever, bone pain and frequent infections appear.
One of the complications of myelofibrosis is an increase in the blood pressure in the portal vein from an enlarged spleen. The additional blood volume can cause the veins to rupture, requiring surgery to remove the spleen. Other treatment options include blood transfusions, chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplantation.
