Bilateral Breast Masses in a Case of Mast Cell Leukemia Without Common KIT Mutations and No Response to Imatinib

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a hematopoietic stem cells neoplasm that presents a range of asymptomatic indolent course to an aggressive fatal condition. Acute mast cell leukemia (aMCL) is a rare rapidly progressive SM variant which traditionally was treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as imatinib due to the involved KIT pathway in the pathogenesis of aMCL with unsatisfactory results. Therefore, polychemotherapy (Poly-CT) and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is now recommended. We report a case of primary leukemic aMCL presented with bilateral breast masses, without response to imatinib despite no common KIT mutations. we suggest Poly-CT, and HSCT for optimal management as soon as possible

Spontaneous Complete Remission in a Patient with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Severe Sepsis

Without treatment, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is almost always fatal. Spontaneous remission of AML is a rare phenomenon and usually with a short duration. The exact mechanisms are unknown. However, its association with infection and blood transfusions has been described. We report a 53-year-old male who presented with severe sepsis and who was diagnosed with AML (M4). He has experienced complete spontaneous remission with relatively long duration. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first case of spontaneous remission described in Iran

Parapharyngeal lymph node as an isolated manifestation of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma: First report in Iran

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare type of sarcoma that originates from the stromal component of the germinal center of the B-follicle. Its presentation and prognosis vary, as it can be nodal or extranodal, localized or multifocal, and can be fatal in 20% of cases. Due to its rarity, FDCS diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion. Most cases have been reported in Europe or the United States, and no cases have been previously reported in individuals of Iranian descent. This case report describes a 33-year-old Iranian man with no significant medical history who presented with a palpable nodule in the neck and odynophagia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass with heterogeneous enhancement in the parapharyngeal space. Pathological examination confirmed FDCS, likely localized to a parapharyngeal lymph node with no extranodal involvement. The patient underwent radiation therapy and remained disease-free 28 months after diagnosis

Influence of HER2 Overexpression on Response to Cetuximab in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Tehran, Iran

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the fourth cause of mortality in the world. HER2, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has an influence on prognosis and overall survival in breast and metastatic gastric cancers. We evaluated the prevalence of HER2 positivity among Iranian patients with CRC and determined the response rate to Cetuximab, an EGFRtargeted drug in eligible HER2 positive patients. Methods: HER2 immunohistochemistry staining was carried out in samples of 150 CRC patients and the prevalence of HER2 overexpression was estimated. We also investigated the association of HER2 overexpression with the prognostic factors, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) as well as response to Cetuximab in the patients by reviewing the medical Results: The prevalence of HER2 overexpression was12%. The mean of follow-ups was 40.67 ± 21.57 weeks in the patients with HER2 overexpression. PFS and OS were lower in HER2 overexpressed patient than other. There was only a borderline relation between the distant metastasis and HER2 expression. Considering the response to Cetuximab, there was a significant difference between HER2 positive and HER2 negative groups. Conclusions: Our study provides further evidence in the effect of HER2 overexpression in CRC patients on the OS, PFS, and response to Cetuximab