Embryotoxicity and fetotoxicity following intraperitoneal administrations of hexavalent chromium to pregnant rats

Heavy metals are omnipresent in the environment, and industrial use has greatly increased their presence in soil, water and air. Their inevitable transfer to the human food chain remains an important environmental issue as many heavy metals cause a range of toxic effects, including developmental toxicity. Administration of chromium VI (1 and 2 mg/kg as potassium dichromate) through intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection during organogenesis (days 6 to 15 of gestation) in rats revealed embryo- and fetotoxic effects. Reduced fetal weight, retarded fetal development, number of fetuses per mother and high incidences of dead fetuses and resorptions in treated mothers were also observed. Gross morphological abnormalities, such as displayed form of edema, facial defect, lack of tail, hypotrophy, severs subdermal haemorrhage patches and hypotrophy of placenta were observed in fetuses after chromium VI-treated mothers. A skeletal development of fetuses presented an incomplete ossification in nasal, cranium, abdominal or caudal bones in rats treated with 1 mg/kg of chromium, whereas rats treated with 2 mg/kg showed ossification and absence of the sacral vertebrae compared with the control. At a higher dose of chromium, histological changes were found in fetuses with atrophy of theirs vital organs. Placental histological observations revealed a pronounced morphological alteration, with atrophy of decidual cells, a degenerated of chorionic villi and hypertrophy of blood lacuna. The present study suggests a risk to the developing embryo when the mother is exposed to a high concentration of chromium VI during organogenesi

Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma Arising from Abdominal Wall Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a frequent benign disorder. Malignancy arising in extraovarian endometriosis is a rare event. A 49-year-old woman is presented with a large painful abdominal wall mass. She underwent a myomectomy, 20 years before, for uterus leiomyoma. Computed tomography suggested that this was a desmoid tumor and she underwent surgery. Histological examination showed a clear cell adenocarcinoma associated with endometriosis foci. Pelvic ultrasound, computed tomography, and endometrial curettage did not show any malignancy or endometriosis in the uterus and ovaries. Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended, but the patient was lost to follow up. Six months later, she returned with a recurrence of the abdominal wall mass. She was given chemotherapy and then she was reoperated

Metastatic Liposarcoma to the Parotid

Distant metastases of the parotid gland are uncommon. They arise from primary tumors located in the head and neck, mainly melanoma and epidermoid carcinoma. Other histological types of metastasis are very rare. We report an exceptional case of parotid metastasis of myxoid liposarcoma in a 42-year-old man and insist on the worse prognosis of this entity

Nasal oral fistula revealing Langerhans´ cell histiocytosis in adult patient: case report

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare systemic disease caused by proliferation of mature histiocytes; its association to histiocyto fibroma is rarely reported. It rarely affects adults. We report a case of systemic LCH, in an adult patient with osteolytic lesion causing a fistula between the left nasal cavity and hard palate, involving the bone, lung, lymph node and associated to multiple histiocyto fibroma. The patient was operating for a fistula, and he was treated by chemotherapy and corticosteroids. Langerhans´ cell histiocytosis is a rare case, especially in adult patient. The diagnosis was based on histological and immunohistochemical analyses. This patient was treated by steroids and chemotherapy

Postirradiation Osteosarcoma of the Maxilla: A Case Report and Current Review of Literature

Background. Radiation-induced sarcomas are well-known potential late sequelae of radiation therapy. They are of rare occurrence in jaw bones and are even rarer in the maxilla. Case report. We report a case of radiation-induced osteosarcoma involving the maxilla in a patient treated with radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma 14 years ago. Despite neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical treatment could not be performed, and the patient received palliative chemotherapy. Conclusions. Radiation-induced osteosarcomas are aggressive and often elude early detection and timely intervention, rapidly leading to early demise of afflicted patients. Long-term patient follow-up and a high index of suspicion are crucial for timely intervention

Erratum – Sarcome de Kaposi buccal post-transplantation rénale : présentation d’un cas et revue de la littérature

Chez les patients transplantés, le traitement immunosuppresseur est associé à une augmentation du risque de sarcome de Kaposi. La prise en charge de ces tumeurs est difficile dans la mesure où l’immunosuppression doit être poursuivie afin d’empêcher la survenue d’un rejet. En 2009, un patient âgé de 48 ans est adressé par le service de néphrologie pour une lésion palatine droite suspecte. Le patient qui avait eu une transplantation rénale en 2008, était sous traitement immunosuppresseur. L’examen endobuccal a révélé une tuméfaction palatine droite rouge violacé, de 2,5 cm dans son grand axe, indolore et de consistance ferme à la palpation. Le vestibule en regard était libre. Il n’y avait pas d’adénopathies satellites. Une biopsie a été réalisée et a conclu à un sarcome de Kaposi. Un bilan d’extension local et général a confirmé l’absence d’atteinte osseuse sous-jacente et d’autres localisations à distance. Le traitement a consisté en une modification du traitement immunosuppresseur associée à une chirurgie d’exérèse tumorale. La perte de substance muqueuse a été réparée par un lambeau vestibulaire d’avancement et un lambeau palatin de rotation. L’examen histologique a confirmé le diagnostic de sarcome de Kaposi et a montré que les limites de l’exérèse passait en tissu sain. L’évolution 14 mois après l’intervention était favorable. L’examen de contrôle loco-régional (clinique et TDM) a éliminé tout signe de récidive. Par la suite, le patient a bénéficié d‘une réhabilitation prothétique par une prothèse partielle amovible