Recurrent thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-like syndrome as a paraneoplastic phenomenon in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: a case report and review of the literature

Risk factors and prognosis of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with paraneoplastic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and highly aggressive tumor. Its clinical manifestations are diverse, and the symptoms are not specific. Some patients will develop paraneoplastic syndrome (PS) during the disease course. This study aims to analyze the risk factors of PS in patients with MPM and their impacts on prognosis.

METHODS

The clinical data of MPM patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS + HIPEC) at our center from June 2015 to May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. MPM patients were divided into PS group and non-PS group according to the diagnostic criteria. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the risk factors of PS in MPM patients, and to analyze the impact of PS on prognosis.

RESULTS

There were 146 MPM patients in this study, including 60 patients (41.1%) with PS and 86 patients (58.9%) without PS. The highest incidence of PS was thrombocytosis (33.6%), followed by neoplastic fever (9.6%). Univariate analysis revealed 8 factors (P < 0.05) with statistically significant differences between the two groups: prior surgical scores, targeted therapy history, Karnofsky performance status score, preoperative carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 level, vascular tumor embolus, peritoneal cancer index, completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score and intraoperative ascites. Multivariate analysis identified 3 independent factors associated with PS: preoperative CA 125 level, vascular tumor embolus, and CC score. Survival analysis demonstrated that MPM patients with PS had worse prognosis, although PS was not an independent prognostic factor.

CONCLUSIONS

PS is not rare in patients with MPM, and is independently associated with preoperative CA 125 level, vascular tumor embolus and CC score. PS often indicates advanced disease and poor prognosis.

Non-secreting benign glucagonoma diagnosed incidentally in a patient with refractory thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura: report of a case

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare hematologic disorder, which may be idiopathic or secondary to a variety of diseases. However, there are very few reports of TTP in the context of pancreatic neoplasms. We report a case of relapsing TTP after initial treatment with plasmapheresis, corticosteroids, and rituximab, in a 59-year-old woman. During diagnostic work-up, a pancreatic lesion 35 × 25 mm in size was discovered incidentally and splenopancreatectomy was performed. The pathological diagnosis was benign glucagonoma. The hematological symptoms resolved completely after the procedure and 3 years later, the patient is well with no sign of recurrence of TTP or glucagonoma. To our knowledge, this represents the first documented case of a non-secreting benign pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (glucagonoma) associated with TTP that is refractory to standard treatment.