Aggressiveness of esthesioneuroblastoma: a rare case report and review of literature

Introduction. Esthesioneuroblastoma, also known as olfactory neuroblastoma, is a rare malignant neuroectodermal nasal tumor with distinctive clinical, histopathological, radiological, and molecular features. It arises from olfactory receptors in the nasal mucosa or the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone. It is generally slow-growing; fast-growing tumors may lead to widespread metastasis. Here, we present an atypical case of aggressive esthesioneuroblastoma treated with a multimodality approach.  Case description. A 28-year male, presented with a painful swelling over the right cheek lasting for 5 months. The patient underwent surgery, and histopathology of the surgical specimen revealed a small round blue cell tumor with widespread positivity for synaptophysin and CD 56. The histopathological appearance and immunohistochemical profile of the biopsy tissue confirmed esthesioneuroblastoma. Owing to subtotal resection, the patient received adjuvant radical radiotherapy to the local site and lymph nodes. Three months post-radiotherapy, a CECT scan showed a partial response, so the patient received intravenous chemotherapy. However, the patient had local disease progression; establishing the aggressivness of esthesioneuroblastoma in our patient. The patient is alive with residual stable disease after 2.5 years from the initial diagnosis and is follow up.  Conclusion. Esthesioneuroblastomas are uncommon tumors and owing to their slow-growing nature, the patient may neglect them. There is a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and outcomes in such patients, and as the literature on esthesioneuroblastoma is scarce due to its rarity, this case report seeks to contribute to a better understanding of such uncommon malignancy in terms of its clinical presentation, behavior, and outcomes

Bone metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma – 5-year experience of an Indian Cancer Institute

Introduction. Bone metastasis (BM), a common and awful complication of advanced malignancy, is comparatively infrequent in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Having a discouraging survival of around 6-months only, BM decreases the quality of life in such patients. We reported 13 cases of BM in HNSCC patients in respect to clinical patterns, treatment modalities and outcome. Material and methods. This is a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary cancer institute of India. Records of all HNSCC patients reviewed and patients having BM were identified. Results. Total 13 cases of BM were found over a 5-year period; 5 patients having synchronous BM and the rest had developed metastasis later. Monostotic and polyostotic diseases were found in 8 and 5 patients, respectively, bone exclusive disease was seen in 6 patients only. Overall median survival was 6.7 months. Conclusions. Palliation seems to be the only option once BM is diagnosed in HNSCC. All of our patients received local palliative radiation, and systemic chemotherapy to increase survival. As there is no standardized treatment for such occurrence, more case series and prospective studies are welcomed

Bone metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma – 5-year experience of an Indian Cancer Institute

Introduction. Bone metastasis (BM), a common and awful complication of advanced malignancy, is comparatively infrequent in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Having a discouraging survival of around 6-months only, BM decreases the quality of life in such patients. We reported 13 cases of BM in HNSCC patients in respect to clinical patterns, treatment modalities and outcome. Material and methods. This is a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary cancer institute of India. Records of all HNSCC patients reviewed and patients having BM were identified. Results. Total 13 cases of BM were found over a 5-year period; 5 patients having synchronous BM and the rest had developed metastasis later. Monostotic and polyostotic diseases were found in 8 and 5 patients, respectively, bone exclusive disease was seen in 6 patients only. Overall median survival was 6.7 months. Conclusions. Palliation seems to be the only option once BM is diagnosed in HNSCC. All of our patients received local palliative radiation, and systemic chemotherapy to increase survival. As there is no standardized treatment for such occurrence, more case series and prospective studies are welcomed

Male breast cancer: a budding and unaddressed issue

Incidence of male breast carcinoma (MBC), although rare, recently has an increasing trend. The increase in incidence is associated with increasing age, and poor clinical outcome seen with MBC is mostly because of illiteracy and lack of health education and shyness in reporting to the clinical physician. In this context, a comprehensive review regarding this forth bursting clinical scenario is important. The present article focus on that aspect encompassing but not limited to different clinical studies. The randomized trials on MBC are sparse and most of the studies are retrospective in nature due to rarity of cases. MBC treatment line is derived from female breast cancer guidelines. MBC has a poorer prognosis than female breast cancer. MBC patients in India present in advanced stage and surgery remains challenging due to paucity of breast tissue. Post mastectomy radiation is indicated on the same lines as of female breast cancer and it decreases locoregional recurrence. Adjuvant hormonal therapy decreases recurrence and improves survival. Further clinical trials are required including large number of patients to study different parameters in respect of prognosis and survival