Primary fallopian tube carcinoma presenting with a solitary metastasis in a Spigelian hernia

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) is a rare gynaecological tumour. Histologically, this type of tumour resembles other tumours of the female reproductive tract, predominantly serous tumours. These cancers are often difficult to distinguish from ovarian cancers and are generally treated with the same standards of surgery and chemotherapy. Diagnosis of PFTC is rarely made preoperatively. Very often, the diagnosis is made either at the operating table or by the pathologist. In this report we present a rare case of PFTC with a solitary metastatic deposit in a right Spigelian hernia, the latter being the initial presenting complaint.peer-reviewe

Tyrosol, at the concentration found in Maltese extra virgin olive oil, induces HL-60 differentiation towards the monocyte lineage

Tyrosol is a phenolic found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). In a Maltese monocultivar EVOO, it was present at a concentration of 9.23 ppm. The HL-60 acute myeloid leukaemia cell line, which can be differentiated to both monocytes and neutrophils, was exposed to tyrosol at this concentration and analysed for evidence of differentiation and effects of cytotoxicity. The polyphenol induced a 1.93-fold increase in cellular oxidative activity (p-value 0.044) and enhanced surface expression of CD11b and CD14. This indicates that tyrosol induces monocytic-like differentiation. An RNA-seq analysis confirmed the upregulation of monocyte genes and the loss of neutrophil genes concomitant with the bi-potential promyelocyte precursor moving down the monocytic pathway. A cell cycle analysis showed an accumulation of cells in the Sub G0/G1 phase following tyrosol exposure for 5 days, which coincided with an increase in apoptotic and necrotic markers. This indicates differentiation followed by cell death, unlike the positive monocyte differentiation control PMA. This selective cytotoxic effect following differentiation indicates therapeutic potential against leukaemia.peer-reviewe

Hepatic perihilar amphicrine cholangiocarcinoma: A case report

Mixed neuroendocrine nonneuroendocrine neoplasms (MiNEN) are tumors composed of adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine neoplasm and include collision, combined, and amphicrine. Within the hepatobiliary tree, tumors of this histologic type are extremely rare, particularly the amphicrine type. In this case study, we describe a 63-year-old man with a hepatic hilar amphicrine tumor. An initial diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumor was made based on biopsy (chromogranin and synaptophysin positivity). On resection, the tumor contained histologic features of both adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma. Immunohistochemically, all tumor cells expressed both chromogranin and synaptophysin, keratin 7, and Cam5.2. Mucin production was evident in both components demonstrated by mucicarmine stain. Albumin RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) was positive, supporting hepatic source. The tumor is classified as an amphicrine carcinoma given the dual expression of both adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine markers in both components. This is the first amphicrine carcinoma of the hepatic hilum reported in the literature. Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma, Mixed neuroendocrine-nonneuroendocrine carcinoma, Neuroendocrine tumor, Liver, Immunohistochemistry, Hepatobiliar

Intramuscular Dirofilariasis Mimicking an Orbital Metastasis in a Patient with Breast Cancer

We present the unusual case of a 74 year-old female with a history of breast cancer who presented with acute painless orbital swelling and vertical diplopia. MRI revealed a focal enhancing mass within the superior rectus muscle. As the concern for metastatic disease was high, surgical biopsy was performed and revealed an unusual mimicker of metastatic disease, the parasitic infection dirofilariasis