Case Report Brodie's Abscess in a Patient Presenting with Sickle Cell Vasoocclusive Crisis

First described by Sir Nicholas Brodie in 1832, Brodie's abscess is a localized subacute or chronic infection of the bone, typically seen in the metaphases of long bones in children and adolescents. The diagnosis can prove to be enigmatic due to absence of clinical signs and symptoms of systemic disease. We report a very interesting case of Brodie's abscess masquerading as sickle cell vasoocclusive crisis in a 20-year-old female with sickle cell disease and review the literature

Case Report Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Erythrocytosis in a Patient Undergoing Hormonal Treatment for Breast Cancer

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are most commonly used for breast cancer patients with hormone receptor positive disease. Although the side effect profile of aromatase inhibitors is well known, including common side effects like arthralgia, bone pain, arthritis, hot flashes, and more serious problems like osteoporosis, we present a case of an uncommon side effect of these medications. We report the case of a postmenopausal woman on adjuvant hormonal therapy with anastrozole after completing definitive therapy for stage IIIB estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, who was referred to hematology service for evaluation of persistent erythrocytosis. Primary and known secondary causes of polycythemia were ruled out. On further evaluation, we found that her erythrocytosis began after initiation of anastrozole and resolved after it was discontinued. We discuss the pathophysiology of aromatase inhibitorinduced erythrocytosis and reference of similar cases reported in the literature

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Utilizing Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration in Identifying Molecular Targets for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer remains a devastating disease, with poor survival rates and high recurrence rates with current treatment regimens. Over the years we have come to understand the complex biology of this cancer, involving cross-talking signaling pathways that proffers resistance to current therapy. Several molecularly targeted agents remain in development. At the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, an abstract (#4051) was presented which explored using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of pancreatic cancer tissue to identify molecular targets, and argued for the feasibility of personalizing pancreatic cancer therapy based on the activated molecular pathways identified. We summarize their findings and discuss the possibility of utilizing this model to obtain a better understanding of pancreatic cancer at each stage of its metamorphosis and target therapy at these different levels.Image: Jaharis Family Center for Biomedical and Nutrition Sciences. Tufts University School of Medicine. Boston, MA, USA

Brodie’s Abscess in a Patient Presenting with Sickle Cell Vasoocclusive Crisis

First described by Sir Nicholas Brodie in 1832, Brodie’s abscess is a localized subacute or chronic infection of the bone, typically seen in the metaphases of long bones in children and adolescents. The diagnosis can prove to be enigmatic due to absence of clinical signs and symptoms of systemic disease. We report a very interesting case of Brodie’s abscess masquerading as sickle cell vasoocclusive crisis in a 20-year-old female with sickle cell disease and review the literature

Mixed Acinar-Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Pancreas with Neuroendocrine Predominance

Background. Pancreatic tumors are rare and could arise from either the exocrine (ductal and acinar cells) or the endocrine (neuroendocrine cells) components of the pancreas. In some instances, the occurrence of pancreatic tumors comprising both acinar cells and neuroendocrine cells, with neuroendocrine cells making up more than 30% of the tumor, has been identified. This unique entity has been referred to as mixed acinar-neuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). Only about 20 such cases have been reported in the literature. Case Report. We report an interesting case of MANEC with neuroendocrine cell predominance in a woman presenting with epigastric pain secondary to a pancreatic mass with acinar and endocrine differentiation. She underwent surgical resection of the tumor and was offered adjuvant treatment chemotherapy with carboplatin, etoposide, and radiotherapy for positive tumor resection margins. Conclusions. Given the paucity of the cases of MANEC, continuous reporting of these cases when identified should be encouraged to aid oncologists in understanding the disease and help establish standardized management

Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Erythrocytosis in a Patient Undergoing Hormonal Treatment for Breast Cancer

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are most commonly used for breast cancer patients with hormone receptor positive disease. Although the side effect profile of aromatase inhibitors is well known, including common side effects like arthralgia, bone pain, arthritis, hot flashes, and more serious problems like osteoporosis, we present a case of an uncommon side effect of these medications. We report the case of a postmenopausal woman on adjuvant hormonal therapy with anastrozole after completing definitive therapy for stage IIIB estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, who was referred to hematology service for evaluation of persistent erythrocytosis. Primary and known secondary causes of polycythemia were ruled out. On further evaluation, we found that her erythrocytosis began after initiation of anastrozole and resolved after it was discontinued. We discuss the pathophysiology of aromatase inhibitor-induced erythrocytosis and reference of similar cases reported in the literature

Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma of the Duodenum: An Unusual Location

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) is a rare extrahepatic tumor distinguished by having both hepatoid and adenomatous features, which can make the diagnosis challenging. Although it mostly originates in the stomach, several other sites of origin have been reported. We report a case of HAC originating in the duodenum, a very unusual location. We also discuss an approach to the diagnosis of HAC using morphological and immunohistochemical features, and explore possible therapeutic options