[Lung adenocarcinoma with intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: a case report and review of the literature]

Intramedullary spinal cord metastases are extremely rare and affect 0.1 to 0.4% of all cancer patients. We report the case of intramedullary metastases in a 42-year-old patient, 12 months after the initial diagnosis of a lung adenocarcinoma. The patient was on third-line chemotherapy for a progressive disease with node and bone metastases. He complained of weakness and difficulty walking. The MRI permitted confirmation of the diagnosis. Corticotherapy was started and the patient underwent radiotherapy. A targeted therapy was indicated. The patient died three months after the initiation of this treatment. The aim of this paper is to report a new case of intramedullary spinal cord metastases from a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, focus on its rarity and diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties through a review of the literature.

Carcinoma of unknown primary: retrospective study of 437 patients treated at Salah Azaiez Institute

BACKGROUND

Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) origin is defined as histologically confirmed metastatic carcinoma in the absence of a detectable primary site at the time of making therapeutic decision.

AIM

To report epidemiological, clinical, histopathological, therapeutic, and prognostic features of CUP's patients collected at the Salah Azaiez institute (SAI).

METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively the files of 437 CUP-patients in SAI between January 1994 and December 2006. We analyzed their epidemiological, clinical, histological and therapeutic features and classify patients in favourable and unfavourable subsets. Statistical analysis was performed with R software. Survival curves were made with the method of Kaplan-Meier.

RESULTS

We collected 437 patients with a median age of 60 years and a sex-ratio of 1.8. CUP are metastatic to lymph nodes (56.5%), bones (29.7%) and liver (28%). 33% of patients had a unique site of metastases. Adenocarcinoma represented 50.5% of cases while 10.5% are classified in the favourable subgroup. 141 out 437 patients received palliative chemotherapy, 83% of them by cisplatin-based regimens obtaining 13% (58 patients) of objective response. Median survival was 7 months. 24 out 58 patients (41%) relapsed. Poor prognostic factors for survival were: multiple metastases (p=0.00033), >3 sites (p=0.03), undifferentiated carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (p>0.0001), liver metastases (p=0.0137), bone (p=0.00653) and adrenal gland (p=0.0334) metastatic sites. Patients who underwent chemotherapy (p>0.001) and who received cisplatbased regimen had better survival (p=0.01).

CONCLUSION

Our retrospective study done in the context of a minimal and biological work-up confirmed the difficulty to find the primary in CUP.

[Hydatid cyst of the scalp]

INTRODUCTION

Hydatid disease is a broad-based anthropozoonosis common to humans and several mammal species. The disease results from the development of Echinococcus granulosis in the body.

CASE REPORT

We report a new case involving a 58-year old woman hospitalized for a subcutaneous mass in the scalp with no local inflammatory signs. Radiological examination was consistent with a subcutaneous cyst. Complete surgical resection of the mass was performed. Histopathological examination demonstrated hydatid cyst.

DISCUSSION

Subcutaneous localization of hydatid cyst is uncommon even in endemic zone. Diagnosis is suggested by ultrasonography and confirmed by histology.

[Myxoid neurofibroma of the thumb]

Myxoid neurofibroma (MN) is a benign tumor of poorly identified perineural cell origin. We report a case of NM of left thumb and discuss the main differential diagnosis.

CASE REPORT

A 34-year-old woman presented with a painless, slowly progressive tumor of the left thumb of 6 months duration. This tumor had recurred after resection done 26 years before. Clinical examination revealed a tumor on the anterior surface of the left thumb, painless, firm, 4×3cm, ulcerated and covered with thin telangiectasia. The X-ray of the phalanx showed no alteration to the underlying bone. The histopathological study of a skin biopsy reported a myxoid neurofibroma. Excision of the lesion was performed with preservation of the nail. Neither the patient nor her family members had neurofibromatosis. The outcome was favorable and no recurrence was noted after 18 months of follow-up.

COMMENTS

The usual sites of the MN are the face, shoulders, arms, and periungual regions. It is usually a solitary lesion; however, lesions may be multiple or recur after initial incomplete excision as in our patient. It must be considered in the differential diagnosis of tumors of the extremities. We report this case because of the rarity of both the tumor and its site.

Unusual presentation of a rare tumor of the dorsal surface of the foot

Calcifying aponeurotic fibroma (CAF) was originally described by Keasbey in 1953 as juvenile aponeurotic fibroma, most commonly occurring in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet in children and adolescents. It usually presents as a firm, painless mass without preceding trauma. We report a case of this rare condition with an unusual presentation in a 60-year-old woman affecting the dorsal surface of the foot. It is a relatively benign condition with a good prognosis following complete surgical excision. It may have a slightly increased incidence in males. The accurate diagnosis is based only on histology but it is essential to differentiate it from other sinister lesions such as fibrosarcoma that may lead to amputation.

[Blastomycosis in Morocco: imported mycosis]

Blastomycosis is a rare case. We report a first Moroccan case. A 41-year-old male presented with a 6-month history of dyspnea, fever and significant chest pain associated with night sweats and weight loss. The physical examination disclosed a firm painful paravertebral mass. The chest radiograph demonstrated a left apical opacity. The thoracic scan showed parenchymal infiltration of the apico-dorsal segment of the left upper lobe with vertebral and costal lytic lesions. Surgical biopsy showed granulomatous inflammation with giant-cell intracytoplasmic inclusions. Fungal studies yielded Blastomyces dermatitidis which responded excellently to ketoconazole. Outcome has been excellent at 3.5 years months follow-up. The clinical and radiographic presentation of blastomycosis is non-specific and can be mistaken for a neoplasm. Delay in diagnosis is common.

[Paratesticular desmoplastic small round cell tumour: case report with literature review]

Desmoplastic small round cell tumors are rare aggressive cancers of adolescence and early adulthood. It has recently been separated from other small round cell tumors because of its pathological characteristics and clinical features. They are usually intra-abdominal tumors affecting young people and have classically been associated with a bad prognosis. However, in recent years there have been reports on desmoplastic small round cell tumors affecting other body regions, including the paratesticular area. We report the case of a 27-year-old male who consulted on a progressive enlargement of the right hemiscrotum. He referred no previous urological symptoms and had no systemic symptomatology. Physical examination revealed a round elastic firm 1-cm mass of the epididymis, which was excised. A computed tomography scan showed a para-aortic mass of 1cm. Histological and immunohistochemical diagnosis confirmed a desmoplastic small round cell tumor. The patient received chemotherapy. Today, 6 months after diagnosis the patient remains well and free of disease. Recent reviews on desmoplastic small round cell tumors affecting the paratesticular area have shown a better prognosis for tumors of this origin compared to abdominal ones. We should include this lesion among the differential diagnosis of paratesticular tumors, mainly in children and adolescents.

[Dispensation of opioids by pharmacists in Tunisia]

This national survey aims to evaluate opioid availability and prescription by pharmacists in Tunisia and to examine pharmacists' attitude regarding Tunisian law. We surveyed a sample of 300 pharmacists randomly selected from the National Council of Pharmacists list and using the random table. This study started in September 1999 by sending to pharmacists a confidential questionnaire asking about the importance, the rate of sale and the availability of analgesics in their pharmacy. It also tried to determine pharmacists' opinions regarding Tunisian law. A total of 157 pharmacists out of 300 responded to the survey (52 per cent), 95 per cent were working in pharmacies and 15 per cent in hospitals. Analgesics were estimated to be important to very important in their work in 84 per cent and less important in 16 per cent of cases. They were given under advice with great importance in 85 per cent of cases and with less importance in 15 per cent of cases. Analgesic self-medication was frequent in 95 per cent of cases and rare in 4 per cent of cases. Analgesics of levels 1 and 2 were often to always available in 97 per cent of cases and rarely available in 1.5 per cent of cases. Some 84.7 per cent of pharmacists had opioid supplies and 8.9 per cent had no opioids in stock and 6.4 per cent hadn't given a response. 30 per cent of pharmacists think that the 7 days law for opioid prescription should be modified and 66 per cent think it should not, fearing illicit use, fraud and dependance. Pharmacists think that the minimal list of opioids to be stocked in a pharmacy is sufficient because of low demand.

[Pyonephrosis: diagnosis and treatment: report of 14 cases]

Prior to the introduction of antibiotics, the treatment of pyelonephrosis frequently consisted of nephrectomy to remove the non-functional kidney, which was a potentially dangerous source of systemic infection. This approach was later modified as a result of the advances made in antibiotic therapy, and included vigorous antibiotic treatment and prompt drainage of the kidney. At present, percutaneous nephrostomy provides a means of draining off the pus and determining a possible residual renal function. In this study, 14 cases of pyonephrosis were observed over a 7-month period. Lumbar pain was noted in 70% of cases, painful lumbar contact in 5 cases and fever, shivering and pyuria in all cases. Cytobacteriological urine analysis showed the presence of Escherichia coli in 7 patients, Proteus in 4 patients, and in 3 cases abacterial leucocyturia; in 2 patients with only one functional kidney, renal insufficiency was observed. In all cases, the diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonography. The main etiological factors were urinary lithiasis in 10 patients (71%), followed by uropathy of the pyeloureteral junction in 4 patients (29%). Treatment consisted of primary nephrectomy in 10 cases; in 3 cases, primary nephrostomy was performed with a positive outcome and recovery of renal function in 2 subjects; in one case of renal failure treated by nephrostomy followed by conservative surgery, the patient did not survive. In conclusion, nephrectomy is advocated as the treatment of choice in the case of a damaged kidney and a normal contralateral kidney. Conservative treatment should be envisaged particularly in the case of a single kidney, or if the patient's state of health is poor. The best treatment consists of the detection and cure of the lithiasis which is the main etiological factor in this pathology.

[Prostatic abscesses. A review]

We review the literature to the diagnosis and therapeutic aspect of prostatic abscess. The prostatic abscess having become an uncommon disease. The diagnosis of prostatic abscess has been nearly made by transrectal ultrasound and computed tomography scan. The best diagnostic method is considered to be the transrectal ultrasound. The choice therapy was intravenous antibiotic, and drainage by ultrasound guided transperineal percutaneous puncture.

[Perineal recurrence of resected penile cancer. A case report]

The authors report an unusual case of perineal recurrence of squamous carcinoma of the penis in a 50-year-old, white man, circumcised during infancy and operated 5 years previously for stage T3N0M0 squamous carcinoma of the penis by total amputation of the penis. Clinical examination revealed a very large, infected perineal tumour associated with bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy. This stage T4N2M0 tumour was treated palliatively by cystostomy, emasculation with perineal tumour reduction and antibiotics. The patient became afebrile and the infection resolved and was referred to the radiotherapy department for further treatment.