Skin metastasis as first manifestation of prostatic adenocarcinoma

Incidence of prostate disease has seen a sudden boost over the last few years as a result of an increase in male life expectancy. Prostate carcinoma is the third most common cause of cancer mortality in Spain. Post-mortem studies reveal that this is the most prevalent neoplasia in the elderly. 30% of all males over 50 years could host malignant cells in their prostate, although only 20% of these neoplasias have clinical manifestations. Prostate carcinoma expansion occurs by local spreading, as well as lymph and blood dissemination. Local spreading to the urethra, bladder neck, trigonous and seminal vesicles is frequent. Lymph dissemination to obturating, hypogastric, iliac, presacral and paraaortic nodes is a major path for metastasis. Bone metastasis with increased acid phosphatase is the most illustrative sign of prostate adenocarcinoma expansion. Visceral metastasis occur more frequently in lungs, liver and renal glands. There is a 0.3% likelihood of skin metastasis from prostate adenocarcinoma. Considering the rareness of skin metastasis from prostate adenocarcinoma, the case reported in the present paper, first evidence of a prostate carcinoma, is even more exceptional.     

Solitary choroidal metastasis as the first sign of metastatic lung carcinoid

The identification of malignancies associated with transplantation has led to enhanced vigilance and care in these patients, as well as insight into the pathogenesis of select malignancies. We report a case of Merkel cell carcinoma, an uncommon cutaneous malignancy of neuroendocrine origin, diagnosed in a 65-year-old Caucasian man 6 years after renal transplantation. While it is well known that transplant patients are at increased risk for squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, other types may also have an increased frequency. We suggest that Merkel cell carcinoma could have an increased incidence in the transplant population.     

Metastatic osteosarcoma of the kidney presenting as renal hemorrhage

PURPOSE: Renal osteosarcoma may arise as a metastasis from a primary bone osteosarcoma or as a primary renal tumor. Metastatic renal osteosarcoma has been found at autopsy in approximately 10% of patients who die of this disease. PATIENT AND METHODS: A case report of a young Chinese patient presenting with acute onset of renal infarction and hemorrhage from a renal metastasis of osteosarcoma is presented, as well as a review of the literature. RESULTS: Some patients with solitary renal metastatic osteosarcoma may have long-term disease-free survival after nephrectomy. Early diagnosis and thus increased awareness of this condition is important.     

Metastatic renal adenocarcinoma in a mule

We previously developed a homoharringtonine resistant C-1300 neuroblastoma cell line with cross-resistance to adriamycin and increased levels of p-glycoprotein, and showed that drug resistance could be reversed in this cell line by cyclosporin A. The present study shows that cremophor EL, a parenteral vehicle for cyclosporin A, can also completely reverse this multidrug resistance in a clonogenic assay system. Cremophor EL incubated with resistant cells for up to six days did not reduce levels of p-glycoprotein. Intracellular homoharringtonine analysis using HPLC revealed increased drug accumulation in resistant cells treated with cremophor EL. The increased drug level was not due to blocking of drug efflux commonly seen in other multidrug resistant models. The data suggest that resistance modulation with cyclosporin A should be interpreted with caution when cremophor EL is a solvent. Our work suggests cremophor EL, a relatively nontoxic lipophylic solvent, may have a direct effect on membrane permeability, although other mechanisms cannot be ruled out.     

Asymptomatic hyponatremia due to inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone as the first sign of a small cell lung cancer in an elderly man

A 72-year-old man was hospitalized with asymptomatic hyponatremia. Despite hyponatremia, urinary sodium excretion with urine osmolality exceeding plasma osmolality persisted. Plasma vasopressin levels were high and independent of plasma osmolality during hypertonic saline infusion. Computed tomography of the chest showed enlarged mediastinal and right hilar lymph nodes. Microscopically, a specimen of lymph nodes obtained by biopsy represented vasopressin-producing small cell lung carcinoma. Chemotherapy plus irradiation improved the hyponatremia. Thus, careful evaluation is necessary to determine the cause of hyponatremia disorders in elderly patients.     

Multiple cutaneous metastases as the first sign of lung cancer in a patient with well-differentiated papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder

A case of multiple, cutaneous metastases as the first sign of lung cancer in a patient with well-differentiated, papillary, transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is presented. In the left clavicular region were two, sharply demarcated, dark red tumors measuring 3 and 2 cm in diameter with a history of rapid growth and intermittent spontaneous bleeding. Thorough examination of the patient revealed 16 additional skin lesions, which were dark red macules and papules, 2-3 mm in diameter, situated on the left side of the chest. The skin biopsy material (tumors, macular and papular lesions) was studied using histological and immunohistochemical techniques and showed intact epidermis and massive dermal and subcutaneous metastatic involvement by a small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation most likely originating in the lung.     

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis: a case report

A rare case of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis is reported. A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of right abdominal fullness. Physical examination revealed a melon-sized (22 cm in diameter) tumor located in the middle and lower right quadrant of the abdomen. Computed tomography and transabdominal sonography revealed hydronephrosis and a renal stone. Retrograde pyelography was impossible because of ureteral obstruction on the right side. A diagnosis of severe hydronephrosis was made and a right nephrectomy was performed. The kidney measured 24 x 14 cm in size and contained 1,500 ml of mucinous material. The histological diagnosis was mucinous adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis. The patient has had neither recurrence nor metastasis for 2 years following postoperative chemotherapy.     

Electrodermal activity as a prodromal sign in schizophrenia

To simplify the quality control procedure used to determine the efficiency and consistency of bedside leukoreduction, a counting protocol using prefiltration and postfiltration aliquots fixed in 10% formaldehyde was designed. To assess the reliability of the values obtained by counting the formalin-fixed samples, a parallel study was performed using our standard protocol of counting fresh propidium iodide-stained samples in a Nageotte chamber under a fluorescent microscope. A total of 30 single-donor platelet concentrates and 30 units of packed red blood cells were analyzed in parallel using the standard and formalin-fixation methods. Furthermore, the aliquots fixed in formaldehyde were split and counted at 1, 3, and 30 days. The results showed no significant quantitative difference between the two methods. Of note is that the counts in formaldehyde-fixed samples at 1, 3, and 30 days were consistent among themselves. The formaldehyde fixation of samples obtained for quality control of leukoreduction allows blood collection and storage at 4 degrees C and batch counting when and where convenient.     

Contralateral perirenal metastasis of renal adenocarcinoma

The objective of this paper is to report an exceptional case of solitary contralateral perirenal metastasis from a renal cell carcinoma. Investigation of this 62-year old patient, presenting with isolated haematuria, revealed a tumour, 9 cm in diameter, in the upper pole of the right kidney, associated with contralateral metastasis in the left perirenal fat. A right radical nephrectomy and left lumpectomy including the fat around the tumour were performed via a bilateral subcostal incision. Pathological staging was pT3b N0 M1, Fuhrman grade III. With a follow-up of eight months, this patient was asymptomatic with a normal radiological assessment.     

Aneurysmal hemorrhage as a complication of paracentesis

Aneurysms of the temporal part of the carotid artery are unusually rare. The literature contains only a few previous reports dealing with hemorrhage from such malformations. In the present case massive bleeding occurred from a right-sided intrapetrous aneurym after myringotomy, which was performed as treatment for bilateral secretory otitis media. Due to the absence of any specific symptoms and the masking effect of middle ear glue preoperative identification of the aneurysm was not possible. Subsequent angiography showed the large fusiform extension of the intrapetrous aneurysm as well as multiple intracranial aneurysms. Leakage from the aneurism was closed definitively with muscle, fascia lata and a gelatin-resorcin-formalin-glue (Cardial). In order to apply the tissue patch the hypotympanic site of the aneurism was exposed using a posterior otosurgical approach. Due to extensive intracranial collateralization to the vertebral arteries bleeding persisted even after ligation of both carotid arteries. Temporary cardiac asystole was then induced to allow safe closure of the aneurysm. Following surgery the patient sustained loss of hearing in her ear and a partial peripheral facial palsy.     

The oedema of the scrotum, as first sign of an intraabdominal inflammation (author's transl)

The oedema of the Scrotum, or the swelling of the Labia majora, could be the first sign of an intraabdominal inflammation. Two case reports should demonstrate these symptoms.     

Enlarged hilar and mediastinal nodes (and especially lower right hilar node enlargement) as a sign of metastasis of a renal tumour

Hilar and mediastinal node enlargement may be a manifestation of the spread of renal tumours. However, the author believes the spread to these nodes may occur either via the upper para-aortic nodes or directly by way of lymphatic vessels from the kidneys by-passing the upper abdominal nodes. It seems that in some cases the hilar node may even be acting as a regional lymph node for the kidney. Thus an enlarged hilar node and especially a lower right hilar node may be the presenting feature of a renal tumour.     

Cardiac tamponade as first clinical manifestation of small cell carcinoma

A 69 year old man was diagnosed of cardiac tamponade. At surgery a large hemopericardias was evacuated, cardiac and pericardial metastasis of an oat cell carcinoma was demonstrated. The patient died 4 weeks later. A review of the literature is done about patients with cardiac tamponade as the first manifestation of a neoplastic process.     

Clinical study of incidentally diagnosed renal adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of incidentally detected renal cell carcinoma and compare primary tumor size, clinical stage (TNM) and survival versus renal cell carcinoma with clinical manifestations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 140 patients diagnosed as having renal cell carcinoma from 1986 to 1994 were retrospectively studied. Of these, 121 had undergone surgery. The statistical analyses were done using the ANOVA test and the Yates-adjusted chi 2 test for a significance value of p < 0.05. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Incidentally detected renal cell carcinoma accounted for 40.7% of the cases. No differences were observed between both groups for age (p = 0.5), sex (p = 0.6), compromised side (p = 0.9), lymph node invasion (p = 0.1), distant metastasis (p = 0.01), multiple unsuspected tumors (p = 0.4) or survival (p = 0.8). The incidentally detected tumors, however, were smaller (p = 0.0002) and more frequently localized to the kidney (p = 0.0003).