A patient with solid gynecologic cancer causing lactic acidosis, severe hypercalcemia, and hypoglycemia

Synchronous small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix and immature ovarian teratoma: A case report and literature review

The onset of two synchronous primary malignancies of the female genital tract is uncommon; therefore, the simultaneous occurrence of cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and ovarian immature teratoma is rare. The present study describes the case of a woman with cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma complicated by ovarian immature teratoma. The clinical manifestations, and the histopathological and immunophenotypic features of the patient are recorded. Furthermore, all PubMed-indexed cases of synchronous primary malignancies in both the cervix and ovary have been briefly summarized.

Type B Lactic Acidosis in a Patient with Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Type B lactic acidosis is an uncommon medical emergency in which acid production overwhelms hepatic clearance. This specific etiology of lactic acidosis occurs without organ hypoperfusion and has been most commonly described in patients with hematologic malignancies but also in patients with solid tumors. The mechanism by which cancer cells switch their glucose metabolism toward increasingly anaerobic glycolytic phenotypes has been described as the "Warburg effect." Without treating the underlying malignancy, the prognosis for patients diagnosed with malignancy-related type B lactic acidosis is extremely poor. Here, we present a case of a 66-year-old male who was diagnosed with type B lactic acidosis secondary to mantle cell lymphoma. Bicarbonate drip was started to correct the lactic acidosis. The patient was also immediately treated with rituximab chemotherapy combined with rasburicase to avoid the hyperuricemia associated with tumor lysis syndrome. He responded to the early treatment and was discharged with normal renal function. Type B lactic acidosis secondary to hematologic malignancy is important to recognize. In order to successfully treat this syndrome, early diagnosis and simultaneous treatment of the imbalance of lactic acid levels and the underlying malignancy are necessary.

Severe recurrent hypoglycaemia in a patient with aggressive melanoma

We present a case of hypoglycemia in a young patient without diabetes mellitus who presented initially with enlarging neck mass and weight loss, and was found to have aggressive melanoma with metastasis to multiple organs and diffuse lymphadenopathy. He had presented to the emergency room two times with neuroglycopenic symptoms that required admission and intravenous dextrose continuously. Evaluation of hypoglycemia included C-peptide, insulin levels, insulin-like growth factor (IGF) -I and -II, and ß- hydroxybutyrate. Insulin levels were suppressed appropriately during hypoglycemia, however, IGF-II:IGF-I ratio was high, suggesting non-islet tumour induced hypoglycemia. The presence of IGF-II produced by large tumors results in a low hepatic glucose output and increased uptake by skeletal muscle, resulting in hypoglycemia especially in a patient with extremely low appetite such as our patient. Treating the culprit malignancy leads to resolution of hypoglycemia, but corticosteroids have been used to suppress IGF-II levels and alleviate symptoms.

Type B lactic acidosis: a rare oncological emergency

Type B lactic acidosis is a rare metabolic complication of malignancy, more commonly in haematological malignancies. Due to the lack of formal prospective trials, treatment of lactic acidosis associated with malignancy is based on case reports. Given the poor prognosis, early recognition of type B lactic acidosis and prompt treatment are crucial. We report the first case of type B lactic acidosis in metastatic melanoma, followed by a brief literature review on the proposed pathophysiology and treatment.