Intracaval extension of a recurrent low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma

We report the case of a patient undergoing successful removal of an intracaval extension of a recurrent low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma sixteen years after complete surgical resection. Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma is rare uterine neoplasm with a excellent 5-year survival but with high incidence of relapse after a very long time. The tumour has a tendency for lymphatic and venous extension. Intracaval extension is an exceptional indication to perform caval surgery in the treatment of malignant neoplasm.     

Acute scrotal involvement as onset of a testicular Sertoli cell tumor in a two-month-old baby

Sertoli cell tumour is an uncommon neoplasm, either in the adult and in the pediatric age groups. An intrascrotal, slowly growing, painless swelling generally represents its clinical onset. Orchiectomy definitively is successful in these patients, since Sertoli cell tumour very rarely metastatise elsewhere. The case of a two-month old baby in which an acute intrascrotal involvement (requiring immediate surgical therapy), was the atypical onset of a testicular Sertoli cell tumour, is described. The hystogenesis as well as the clinical and pathological peculiarities of this neoplasm in pediatric patients are discussed.     

Collaboration at the millennium: "we must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately"

A case is presented of a primary extragonadal retroperitoneal germ cell tumor (seminoma) in a 51-year-old male. The ultimate diagnosis was only achieved after curative surgical resection of the tumor. There was no demonstrable testicular neoplasm.     

Abdominal desmoid tumor

Two cases of desmoid tumor of the abdominal wall are reported, together with some considerations and a review of the literature; desmoid tumor is an unusual neoplasm which affects women in prevalence. This is an histologically benign neoplasm with no metastatic capacity; however it is highly invasive in the site where it arose, so its treatment can become very difficult. The treatment is by surgical excision that must be as wide as possible, in order to obviate the great incidence of recurrence. The role of radiotherapy, hormone and chemotherapy has not been completely assessed so far.     

Axillary cystadenocarcinoma in a Moluccan cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis)

An adult Moluccan cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) was diagnosed with a cystadenocarcinoma in the right axillary region that was treated symptomatically with surgical debulking and periodic drainage. The bird eventually died and a necropsy was performed. The neoplasm extended through the humerus, and small neoplastic foci were seen within the ipsilateral lung parenchyma. Rare groupings of microvilli were observed lining intercellular canalicular lumens on electron microscopy within the axillary tumor. These findings suggest a respiratory neoplasm, although the tissue of origin remained undetermined.     

Comparison of five methods for the determination of arginine hydrolysis by viridans streptococci

The authors describe a rare case of cystic nephroma treated by partial surgical excision. Because there is concurrence in the association of multilocular cysts with Wilms tumors and others tumors of the kidney, it is underlined the importance of a differential diagnosis to avoid nephrectomy for treatment of this benign neoplasm.     

Unsuspected carcinoma of the gall bladder: case report of trocar-site metastasis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Cancer of the gall bladder is a rare malignant neoplasm with an unfavourable prognosis. Laparoscopic surgery has brought about the emergence of possible neoplastic diffusion along trocar tracts in cases where unrecognized carcinoma of the gall bladder is present. The authors present a case of neoplastic abdominal diffusion discovered 4 months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in which histologic examination of the surgical specimen revealed the presence of unrecognized carcinoma of the gall bladder.     

Myoepithelial-epithelial carcinoma of the parotid: cyto-histological description of a case

We report a case of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland arised in a 72 years-old woman, in which the diagnosis was suspected on fine-needle aspiration and confirmed on surgical specimen. Immunohistochemical evidence for the dual differentiation (glandular and myoepithelial) of the tumour was obtained both on surgical specimen and cytological inclusion. Morphological features and proliferating index (MIB1) analysis suggest that this case is an intermediate grade malignant neoplasm. Main differential diagnosis of the epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma with predominantly clear cell tumours of the salivary glands were discussed.     

Respiratory kinesitherapy. For whom? Why do it?

Intussusception of the appendix vermiformis in adults is an uncommon event. The combination of a mucinous cystadenoma with an intussuscepted appendix is extremely rare. Clinical symptoms are nonspecific; in most cases the correct diagnosis is not made before surgical exploration. With the radiologic and endoscopic presentation of a polypoid lesion of the caecum, a neoplasm is often considered. Endoscopic appendectomy or disinvagination by enema have been described. Thus the definitive therapy is surgery and depends on the histological diagnosis.     

Solid and papillary neoplasm of the pancreas: a case presentation

Solid and papillary tumors of the pancreas are very rare malignancies, more commonly occurring in young women. They usually present as asymptomatic, large abdominal masses, and different from the most common neoplasm of the pancreas, which is the adenocarcinoma, these tumors have a high percentage of curability when treated by complete surgical resection. (6) For this reason, when the diagnosis of Frantz's tumor is made or strongly suspected, every attempt should be made for complete surgical excision since curability is high and radiotherapy and, or chemotherapy are of no use for its treatment.     

Deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis

This article reports 10 cases of cranial base tumors resected by pre-or retro-auricular intratemporal approach. Among them four were neuronomas, two meningiomas, one malignant giant cell tumor of bone, one osteochondnoma, one parotid mixed neoplasm and one poorly-differentiated squamors cell carcinoma. Total resection in 9 cases and one subtotal resection were performed without operative mortality and serious surgical complications. The surgical management of cranial base tumor and indications for selecting operative approaches were discussed.     

Pulmonary neoplasm with solitary cerebral metastasis. Results of combined excision

Twenty-two patients underwent excision of a primary pulmonary neoplasm and solitary cerebral metastasis. Six patients had metastatic tumor removed on two occasions and there was one operative death in 28 craniotomies. Seven of 22 patients (32 per cent) survived one year following craniotomy and were free of significant symptoms for one year. Survival for at least 9 months and freedom from significant symptoms was achieved in a total of 12 patients (55 per cent). Relief of severe neurologic symptoms for a minimum of 3 months was achieved in 17 patients (77 per cent). The over-all one-year survival rate was 45 per cent and the average survival period is 14 months with 3 patients still living. The following factors had a favorable bearing on the outcome: Stage 1 lung cancer at pulmonary resection, whole-brain radiation therapy, and a longer interval between pulmonary resection and cerebral metastasis. The experience encourages us to pursue an aggressive surgical approach to pulmonary neoplasm and solitary cerebral metastasis.     

Prolonged survival in a patient with sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma with cranial extension. Case report

Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm characterized by the combined histological features of carcinosarcoma and teratoma. The primary symptoms of this tumor are usually nasal obstruction and epistaxis, and a nasal cavity mass is the most common clinical finding. The authors describe an exceptionally rare case in which the patient presented with massive intracranial extension and exhibited confusion as an initial symptom. He subsequently underwent combined radical surgery and radiation therapy and has remained free of disease for 31 months. The surgical approach to the lesion, histological features, and clinical course are detailed.     

Actinomycotic thyroiditis in a child

The authors present a unique case of actinomycosis occurring in a 10-year-old girl who presented with a painless, noninflammatory left neck mass of 3 weeks duration. Physical examination findings showed a firm, nontender mass within the left thyroid lobe, and a presumptive diagnosis of thyroid neoplasm was made. Inflammatory changes subsequently occurred and surgical drainage was performed revealing sulphur granules. Histological examination confirmed actinomycosis of the thyroid gland.     

The role of surgery in the treatment of epidermoid cancer of the anal canal

Thirty patients underwent surgery for carcinoma of the anus, a surgical procedure having been planned as all or part of their management in only 18 of them. The other 12 patients required surgery after radiotherapy, either because of progression of their neoplasm, or because of irradiation-related complications. Any tendency to attribute a quasi-exclusive role to radiotherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the anus should be avoided.     

Benign ulcers of the cecum

Benign ulceration of the cecum is an uncommon lesion that was originally described by Cruveilhier in 1832. Etiology is unknown and symptomatology not pathognomonic. Pre-operative and intraoperative diagnosis is rare and difficult. Definitive diagnosis is usually obtained by histologic evaluation of the surgical specimen after a right hemicolectomy performed for a suspect of a neoplasm of the cecum. The authors present 7 cases of cecal ulcers and suggest that preoperative diagnosis may be due after a colonoscopy with biopsy. This examination may be performed only in that cases that appear without symptoms of acute abdomen. The authors suggest also to perform right hemicolectomy.     

Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas, diagnosis by cytology

In this paper, I report a rare, low-grade malignant tumor, solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas (SPENP). I also discuss and review 157 previously reported cases. Unlike other malignant tumors of the pancreas, this neoplasm is typically found in young women, does not have metastases, and is amenable to cure after complete surgical resection. I discuss clinical features, diagnostic procedures, and differential diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration can be effective in obtaining a preoperative diagnosis of SPENP, since the tumor has characteristic cytologic features. Also, use of clinical data, ultrasonography studies, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, arteriography, and cytologic findings in the preoperative workup are important in obtaining an accurate diagnosis. Although potentially curable, late metastases and current inability to predict aggressive behavior by some tumors require lengthy follow-up.     

Ultrastructural pattern of glucagon producing-cells in the gastric mucosa of the developing opossum Didelphis albiventris (Marsupialia)

We present the case of a 59-year-old woman with an International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IIIB serous psammocarcinoma. Only 12 cases of this rare ovarian neoplasm have been reported previously. These tumors act like borderline tumors and, therefore, do not usually require chemotherapy or radiation therapy after appropriate surgical debulking and staging.     

Carcinoid--advances in diagnosis and treatment

Carcinoid is one of the most frequently diagnosed neuroendocrine tumours. It develops slowly but grows by infiltration and has the ability to give metastases in distant organs. The clinical picture is very diverse and in 10% of cases the signs called carcinoid syndrome develop. Not infrequently it produces also peptide hormones. In the present paper the most modern diagnostic methods, possibilities of surgical and pharmacological treatment of this extremely interesting neoplasm are discussed.