A case report of symptomatic gallbladder disease in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis originating from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast

AbstractIntroductionInvasive lobular carcinoma is the second most common type of breast cancer, responsible for 5–15 percent of all cases. Peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to breast cancer is a rare event, frequently resulting in morbidity and mortality. Symptomatic gallbladder disease in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis originating from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast is a very rare event and is not well covered in literature.Presentation of caseA 44year old female patient previously diagnosed with stage IV invasive lobular carcinoma of the left breast with widespread systemic metastases and peritoneal carcinomatosis presented with a three week history of right upper quadrant pain trigged by food intake only, greatly diminishing her quality of life. She had spent almost a year in a progression free disease status but was now suffering from debilitating symptomatic gallbladder disease. Despite the extent of her peritoneal carcinomatosis, she elected to undergo a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.DiscussionWe are presenting a rare case of symptomatic gallbladder disease in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to invasive lobular carcinoma. A major concern is tumor load within nearby portal structures. Even though laparoscopic cholecystectomy could be a viable option to treat the condition, it needs to be applied selectively and very cautiously in the respective patient population.ConclusionSymptomatic gallbladder disease in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to invasive lobular carcinoma is an uncommon presentation to surgeons. A diagnostic laparoscopy is the preferred initial evaluation. If deemed feasible, and if the surgeon has the required experience, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be undertaken selectively

Capsular nevus versus metastatic malignant melanoma – a diagnostic dilemma

AbstractIntroductionA positive finding of metastatic melanoma in a sentinel lymph node is an ominous sign and a strong predictor of overall survival. In contrast, current data trends have shown that patients with benign nevus cells in the sentinel nodes do not require additional therapy since their prognosis has been shown to be similar to that of patients with negative lymph nodes. Distinguishing between benign capsular nevi and metastatic melanoma often proves to be diagnostically problematic.Case presentationIn this case report we present two cases of melanoma in which sentinel lymph node biopsies proved to be difficult in distinguishing metastatic melanocytes from capsular nevus cells. In both cases, further workup was necessary for accurate diagnoses.DiscussionA lack of standardized distinctions of benign nevus cell from melanoma pose a diagnostic pitfall. Assigning a diagnosis of malignant melanoma might seem like the safer approach to avoid a false negative, but the resultant treatment, including the possibility of additional surgical complications, may cause anxiety, discomfort, and financial instability for the patient. Current methods of distinguishing the two based solely on histology may be insufficient due to similar pathologic patterns.ConclusionTo avoid misdiagnosing a patient and performing unnecessary therapy, it would be beneficial to get a second opinion by additional histopathologists at a high volume center. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining should be carefully employed due to some overlap in commonly used markers. Using tissue morphology in conjunction with immunohistochemical staining may be the best way to make the most accurate diagnosis

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans post basal cell carcinoma excision: A case report

Introduction: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare, malignant, soft tissue neoplasm of the dermis. Tumor recurrence is common following resection, and can be locally devastating if not identified in a timely manner. We report a unique case of this rare tumor. This case poses the question of an association between basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and DFSP, and presents the possible need for increased awareness of DFSP for healthcare providers and patients with a history of non-melanoma skin cancers as well as surgical or burn scars. Presentation of case: A 77-year-old male with a history of surgical excision of BCC presented with several palpable lesions in the superficial cutaneous tissue of the right anterior abdominal wall. Most of the lesions were consistent with lipoma; however, one lesion near the excision site of the BCC was more solid in consistency. The mass was removed with wide local excision encompassing all layers down to the abdominal fascia. Subsequent pathology findings included CD34 positive spindle cells in a whorled pattern consistent with DFSP. Resection margins were positive and a wide re-excision was performed with margins being negative. Discussion: DFSP comprises approximately 0.01% of all malignant tumors. There are no known precipitating factors of DFSP, but its presence in surgical and burn scars is not uncommon. An association between DFSP and basal cell carcinoma has been suggested in the literature. Dermatofibroma and rarely DFSP may demonstrate basaloid proliferation of the overlying epidermis with characteristics of BCC. One case reporting coexistent DFSP and BCC located to the ear also suggested an association, but concluded that the finding was likely incidental due to sun exposure. In our case, the lesion’s location is less routinely subjected to sun exposure and points more towards a possible association. The mainstay of treatment for local DFSP is wide local excision. Negative margins with the removal of fascia and muscle tissue as necessary is essential and the most significant prognostic factor. Three-dimensional reconstructions of DFSP have shown villous finger like projections of primary tumors, which is believed to be responsible for local recurrence. Recurrence can be devastating, as several cases have demonstrated rapid growth of remaining cells with increased morbidity following further resection. Conclusion: Based on this case and those found in the literature, we believe an association may exist between DFSP and BCC and further study of this association is needed. DFSP is a rare malignancy unknown to many healthcare providers, but in the presence of increased awareness and physician vigilance in surgical resection and follow up, the potential morbidity of DFSP may be prevented

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: unusual presentation of rare disease

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a rare, benign disorder that typically follows a selflimiting natural course and was initially described in young females of Asian descent. Its clinical presentation may mimic lymphoproliferative disorders, connective tissue disorders, and chronic infections. This often leads to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. The exact cause of this condition remains unknown although autoimmune processes and certain infectious agents have been associated with the disease. The diagnosis of KFD is made histopathologically. Treatment is supportive and long-term follow-up is recommended due to increased risk of future development of systemic lupus erythematosus. Here we are presenting a case of a patient with an unusual presentation of KFD

A Case Series of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and burkitt lymphoma presenting with peritoneal lymphomatosis

Introduction: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) can occur at any site of the body, however diffuse and extensive involvement of the peritoneal cavity occurs rarely. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the dominant histological subtypes in extra nodal lymphoma involving the peritoneal cavity while Burkitt lymphoma is seen less commonly. We report two cases of DLBCL and one case of Burkitt lymphoma presenting with peritoneal lymphomatosis (PL). Presentation of case: A retrospective review of two cases involving DLBCL and one case of Burkitt lymphoma with PL was conducted. Findings in all patients were consistent with peritoneal carcinomatosis at initial evaluation. Symptoms included longstanding vague abdominal pain and weight loss. CT imaging along with biopsies showed DLBCL in two cases and Burkitt lymphoma in one case. All three patients were treated with chemotherapy and responded very well. Discussion: We report three cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with peritoneal lymphomatosis, a rare phenomena. Due to its nonspecific presentation, laparoscopic biopsies with subsequent pathology analysis should be undertaken as quickly and efficiently as possible to accurate diagnose and treat this condition. Conclusion: DLBCL with PL may have variable and non-specific presentations. It may resemble peritoneal carcinomatosis or other neoplastic and inflammatory conditions. Focused clinical awareness, high level of suspicion, and complementary approach can lead towards accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic laparoscopy plays a crucial role in facilitating diagnosis and treatment

Termination of trastuzumab in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients who received trastuzumab beyond progression

Abstract The purpose of the study was to assess the prognosis of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients who received trastuzumab beyond progression and investigate the predictors of complete response. HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients who received long-term trastuzumab were included in the study. Predictors of complete response were analyzed with binary regression analysis. The prognosis of patients who had their trastuzumab-based treatment terminated was assessed. Eighty patients were involved in the study. The patients were received with trastuzumab for a median of 62 months (12–191). A complete response was observed in 60 (75%) patients. The median duration to development of complete response was found as 14.8 months (2.4–55). In logistic regression analysis: using endocrine therapy with trastuzumab (p = 0.04), menopausal status (p = 0.03), and the number of metastatic sites (p = 0.01) were found to be statistically significant factors for a complete response. Trastuzumab-based therapy of fifteen patients was terminated, six (40%) patients continued to receive an aromatase inhibitor, and nine (60%) patients were followed up without treatment. After termination of trastuzumab, at a median follow-up of 32 months (11–66), recurrence was detected in two (13.3%) patients. We detected that menopausal status, the number of metastatic sites, and using endocrine therapy with trastuzumab were predictors of complete response in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients who received long-term trastuzumab-based therapy. We observed that HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients may be completely cured with trastuzumab-based therapy. There are no defined criteria for termination of trastuzumab treatment in this selected patient group. It is necessary to confirm our data with multicenter studies involving a large number of patients

A comparison of perioperative outcomes in elderly patients with malignant liver tumors undergoing laparoscopic liver resection versus radiofrequency ablation

Liver resection is the treatment option with the best chance for cure in patients with malignant liver tumors. However, there are concerns regarding postoperative recovery in elderly patients, which may lead to a preference of non-resectional therapies over hepatectomy in this patient population. Although laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is associated with a faster recovery compared to open hepatectomy, there are scant data on how elderly patients tolerate LLR. The aim of this study was to analyze the perioperative outcomes of LLR in elderly patients with hepatic malignancies, with a comparison to laparoscopic RFA (LRFA)