Archive for January, 2012

Acute small bowel obstruction: a rare initial presentation for the metastasis of the large-cell carcinoma of the lung

Monday, January 30th, 2012

We present one case with symptoms of paroxysmal abdominal pain for over 20 days. Abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan revealed intestinal obstruction and a mass of 6.0cmx6.0cm in size located at left adrenal. Chest CT scan showed a lobulated mass of 2.7cmx2.7cm in size at the upper left lung. Core needle biopsy of the lung mass confirmed the diagnosis of large cell carcinoma. The patient underwent an emergency abdominal laparotomy and received chemotherapy regimen consisted of pemetrexed and cisplatin postoperatively. In addition, we made a review of literature about its occurrence, diagnosis and outcome.

Anatomical liver segmentectomy 2 for combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma with tumor thrombus in segment 2 portal branch

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Background:
Hepatic resection is the only effective treatment for combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.Case presentationA 52-year-old man was preoperatively diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in segment 2 with tumor thrombus in the segment 2 portal branch. Anatomical liver segmentectomy 2, including separation of the hepatic arteries, portal veins, and bile duct, enabled us to remove the tumor and portal thrombus completely. Modified selective hepatic vascular exclusion, which combines extrahepatic control of the left and middle hepatic veins with occlusion of left hemihepatic inflow, was used to reduce blood loss. A pathological examination revealed combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma with tumor thrombus in the segment 2 portal branch. No postoperative liver failure occurred, and remnant liver function was adequate.
Conclusion:
The separation method of the hepatic arteries, portal veins, and bile duct is safe and feasible for a liver cancer patient with portal vein tumor thrombus. Modified selective hepatic vascular exclusion was useful to control bleeding during liver transection. Anatomical liver segmentectomy 2 using these procedures should be considered for a patient with a liver tumor located at segment 2 arising from a damaged liver.

Primary mediastinal atypical meningioma: Report of a case and literature review

Saturday, January 21st, 2012

Meningiomas are common neoplasms arising from the central nervous system meninges. On the other hand, primary ectopic meningiomas are extremely rare and usually limited to the head and neck region or to the paravertebral soft tissues. Their occurrence in the mediastinum is even rarer. Until now, only 4 cases of primary mediastinal meningioma have been reported in the literature searched on Medline. Because of its rarity and intriguing pathogenesis, we report here a case of primary mediastinal meningioma that was treated by surgical resection. The clinical features, treatment, pathological findings, and prognosis are analyzed, and the literature based on ectopic meningioma is reviewed.

Isolated granulocytic sarcoma of the pancreas: A tricky diagnostic for primary pancreatic extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

We report two clinical cases of primary granulocytic sarcoma of the pancreas that were diagnosed on the surgical specimen. Atypical clinical and morphological presentations may have lead to pretherapeutic biopsies of the pancreatic mass in order to indicate primary chemotherapy. Literature review of this rare clinical presentation may help physicians to anticipate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Gentamicin supplemented polyvinylidenfluoride mesh materials enhance tissue integration due to a transcriptionally reduced MMP-2 protein expression

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Background:
A beneficial effect of gentamicin supplemented mesh material on tissue integration is known. To further elucidate the interaction of collagen and MMP-2 in chronic foreign body reaction and to determine the significance of the MMP-2-specific regulatory element (RE-1) that is known to mediate 80% of the MMP-2 promoter activity, the spatial and temporal transcriptional regulation of the MMP-2 gene was analyzed at the cellular level.
Methods:
A PVDF mesh material was surface modified by plasma-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid (PVDF+PAAc). Three different gentamicin concentrations were bound to the provided active sites of the grafted mesh surfaces (2, 5 and 8 ug/mg). 75 male transgenic MMP-2/LacZ mice harbouring the LacZ reporter gene under control of MMP-2 regulatory sequence -1241/+423, excluding the RE-1 were randomized to five groups. Bilateral of the abdominal midline one of the five different meshes was implanted subcutaneously in each animal. MMP-2 gene transcription (anti-beta-galactosidase staining) and MMP-2 protein expression (anti-MMP-2 staining) were analyzed semiquantitatively by immunohistochemistry 7, 21 and 90 days after mesh implantation. The collagen type I/III ratio was analyzed by cross polarization microscopy to determine the quality of mesh integration.
Results:
The perifilamentary beta-galactosidase expression as well as the collagen type I/III ratio increased up to the 90th day for all mesh modifications, whereas no significant changes could be observed for MMP-2 protein expression between days 21 and 90. Both the 5 and 8 ug/mg gentamicin group showed significantly reduced levels of beta-galactosidase expression and MMP-2 positive stained cells when compared to the PVDF group on day 7, 21 and 90 respectively (5 ug/mg: p < 0.05 each; 8 ug/mg: p < 0.05 each). Though the type I/III collagen ratio increased over time for all mesh modifications significant differences to the PVDF mesh were only detected for the 8 ug/mg group at all 3 time points (p < 0.05 each).
Conclusions:
Our current data indicate that lack of RE-1 is correlated with increased mesh induced MMP-2-gene expression for coated as well as for non-coated mesh materials. Gentamicin coating reduced MMP-2 transcription and protein expression. For the 8 ug/mg group this effect is associated with an increased type I/III collagen ratio. These findings suggest that gentamicin is beneficial for tissue integration after mesh implantation, which possibly is mediated via RE-1.

Intraparenchymal papillary meningioma of brainstem: Case report and literature review

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Both intraparenchymal papillary meningioma and papillary meningioma with cyst formation of brainstem have never been reported. The authors present an extremely rare case of patient with intraparenchymal papillary meningioma of brainstem. A 23-year-old Chinese male presented with a 4-month history of progressive left upper limb and facial nerve palsy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic-solid, heterogeneously enhancing mass in pons and right cerebral peduncle with no dural attachment. The tumor was totally removed via subtemporal approach. During surgery, the lesion was found to be completely intraparenchymal. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations were compatible with the diagnosis of papillary meningioma. The lesion recurred nine months after primary surgery, a second surgery followed by radiotherapy was performed. Till to now (nearly 2 years after the treatment), the patient is tumor free survival. Intraparenchymal meningioma of brainstem with cystic formation is very rare, however, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis of a brainstem neoplasm. The present case strongly recommended that postoperative radiotherapy was essential for the patients with papillary meningiomas.

Pattern of distant recurrence according to the molecular subtypes in Korean women with breast cancer

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

Background:
Distant recurrence is one of the most important risk factors in overall survival, and distant recurrence is related to a complex biologic interaction of seed and soil factors. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the molecular subtypes and patterns of distant recurrence in patients with breast cancer.
Methods:
In an investigation of 313 women with breast cancer who underwent surgery from 1994 and 2000, the expressions of estrogen and progestrone receptor (ER/PR), and human epithelial receptor-2 (HER2) were evaluated. The subtypes were defined as luminal-A, luminal-HER2, HER2-enriched, and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) according to ER, PR, and HER2 status.
Results:
Bone was the most common site of distant recurrence. The incidence of first distant recurrence site was significantly different among the subtypes. Brain metastasis was more frequent in the luminal-HER2 and TNBC subtypes. In subgroup analysis, overall survival in patients with distant recurrence after 24 months after surgery was significantly different among the subtypes.
Conclusions:
Organ-specific metastasis may depend on the molecular subtype of breast cancer. Tailored strategies against distant metastasis concerning the molecular subtypes in breast cancer may be considered.

Short-term clinicopathological outcome of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy comprising complete androgen blockade, followed by treatment with docetaxel and estramustine phosphate before radical prostatectomy in Japanese patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

Background:
To assess the outcome of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy comprising complete androgen blockade followed by treatment with docetaxel and estramustine phosphate before radical prostatectomy in Japanese patients with a high risk of localized prostate cancer (PCa).
Methods:
Complete androgen blockade followed by 6 cycles of docetaxel (30 mg/m2) with estramustine phosphate (560 mg) were given to 18 PCa patients before radical prostatectomy. Subsequently, the clinical and pathological outcomes were analyzed.
Results:
No patients had severe adverse events during chemohormonal therapy, and hence they were treated with radical prostatectomy. Two patients (11.1%) achieved pathological complete response. Surgical margins were negative in all patients. At a median follow-up of 18 months, 14 patients (77.8%) were disease-free without PSA recurrence. All 4 patients with PSA recurrence had pathologic T3b or T4 disease and 3 of these 4 patients had pathologic N1 disease.
Conclusion:
We found that neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy with complete androgen blockade followed by treatment with docetaxel and estramustine phosphate before radical prostatectomy was safe, feasible, and associated with favorable pathological outcomes in patients with a high risk of localized PCa.