Late cardiac adverse events in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated early cardiac adverse events (CAEs), mostly acute and fulminant myocarditis, have been well characterized and mainly occur during the first 90 days after ICI therapy initiation. ICI-associated late CAEs (occurring after the first 90 days of treatment) have not yet been described.

Methods

First, we compared characteristics of a cohort involving early (defined as a CAE time to onset (TTO) of <90 days after ICI therapy initiation) and late (defined as a CAE TTO of ≥90 days after ICI therapy initiation) ICI-associated CAE consecutive cases who were referred to three French cardio-oncology units. Second, ICI-associated CAE cases were searched in VigiBase, the WHO global individual case safety report database, and early and late ICI-associated CAEs were compared.

Results

In the cohort study, compared with early CAE cases (n=19, median TTO of 14 days), late ICI-associated CAE cases (n=19, median TTO of 304 days) exhibited significantly more left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and heart failure (HF) and less frequent supraventricular arrhythmias. In VigiBase, compared with early cases (n=437, 73.3%, median TTO 21 days), the late ICI-associated CAE reports (n=159, 26.7%, median TTO 178 days) had significantly more frequent HF (21.1% vs 31.4%, respectively, p=0.01). Early and late ICI-associated CAE cases had similarly high mortality rates (40.0% vs 44.4% in the cohort and 30.0% vs 27.0% in VigiBase, respectively).

Conclusions

Late CAEs could occur with ICI therapy and were mainly revealed to be HF with LVSD.

Trial registration numbers

NCT03678337, NCT03882580, and NCT03492528.

[Carbon dioxide laser treatment of genital intraepithelial neoplasia: A retrospective study]

INTRODUCTION

Genital intraepithelial neoplasias (IEN) are precursors of squamous cell carcinoma. The ideal treatment must be efficacious, conservative and well-tolerated. CO2 laser is one of the recommended therapies, but its efficacy and safety have not been extensively studied.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center study. Sixteen patients (8 women and 8 men) treated with CO2 laser for genital IEN, whether high-grade or differentiated, were included. Surgical lateral margins of 3 to 5mm were taken macroscopically during treatment. The CO2 laser session, assessment of therapeutic response and follow-up were undertaken by a dermatologist at the University Hospital of Caen.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 68.1 years and mean follow-up was 52.7 months (5-130). Lesions were isolated in 87.5% of patients. The recurrence rates of genital intraepithelial neoplasia after CO2 laser treatment were 58% for women and 40% for men. No impact on quality of life or on sexual activity was reported in over 90% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Whatever the treatment recommended for intraepithelial neoplasia, recurrence is frequent. CO2 laser is an effective and well-tolerated conservative therapeutic option. It enables rapid clinical remission, but as with all currently available treatments, long-term dermatologic follow-up remains necessary.

[Idiopathic lipoatrophic panniculitis in an adult treated with hydroxychloroquine and adipocyte grafting]

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic lipoatrophic panniculitis is a rare disease. Various terms are used in the literature to describe similar entities: annular lipoatrophy of the ankles, lipophagic panniculitis and lipoatrophic panniculitis. In any event, it consists of an inflammatory process progressing to necrosis of the fatty tissue.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Herein we report the case of a 37-year-old woman presenting characteristic signs: erythematous, annular, symmetrical, painful, inflammatory lesions of the lower extremities, progressing to areas of atrophy with an indurated inflammatory periphery. Histopathology showed lobular panniculitis composed primarily of lymphocytes and macrophages. The etiological investigations ruled out all other causes of lobular panniculitis. The patient was successfully treated with hydroxychloroquine 400mg/day for 1 year and she subsequently underwent fat grafting on the secondary lesions.

DISCUSSION

Our literature review identified 23 reported cases of idiopathic lipoatrophic panniculitis since 2006, including 10 cases of annular ankle lipoatrophy. The most commonly used treatments are corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate, with good efficacy being seen on the inflammatory phase. This disease seems a good indication for fat grafting to limit aesthetic sequelae.

CONCLUSION

Lipoatrophic panniculitis, a rare disease, results in significant aesthetic sequelae which may be limited by early treatment initiation. The benefit-risk ratio of hydroxychloroquine suggests its value as first-line therapy in this pathology. Our case also demonstrates the value of filling of the secondary atrophy by fat grafting after the inflammatory period has ended.

[Extensive connective tissue nevus in children]

BACKGROUND

Connective tissue nevus (CTN) is a rare condition of the extracellular matrix components that generally presents as papulae of normal skin colour. This condition may be syndromic or sporadic.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We report herein two isolated cases of extensive and infiltrative CTN in children at risk for subsequent joint stiffening. The pathology samples displayed respectively mixed hamartoma and a collagenoma.

DISCUSSION

The onset of these lesions is often difficult to establish, since they are usually unnoticeable at first. When confronted with extensive CTN, the main differential diagnoses are eosinophilic fasciitis and morphea, and these must be ruled out by skin biopsy. CTN is associated with osteopoikilosis in Buschke-Ollendorf syndrome. Skeletal lesions are asymptomatic and are detected by means of iterative X-ray. Their management comprises symptomatic care.

[Cutaneous involvement in T-lymphoblastic lymphoma]

BACKGROUND

Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Cutaneous LBL is seen in less than 20% of patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Herein, we report the case of a 66-year-old male patient without any previous disease history of note and who was presenting a gradually spreading tumoral lesion of the scalp, several purplish macules and nodules on the trunk, and a single spinal adenopathy. A thoracic-abdominal-pelvic CT scan performed for acute renal failure, revealed extensive infiltration of retroperitoneal tissue. Skin biopsies and staging tests indicated LBL-T with associated cutaneous, bone and lymph node retroperitoneal lesions with no mediastinal mass. After two months of treatment with CHOP (four courses), the cutaneous lesions and abdominal tumoral mass had regressed and renal function had returned to normal.

DISCUSSION

There have been 13 reported cases of LBL with cutaneous involvement; most of these patients were young (under 30 years) and presented multiple cutaneous lesions (nodules or tumors) associated with numerous peripheral adenopathies, invasion of the bone marrow, and in many cases, a mediastinal mass. The clinical presentation of LBL-T in our case is novel on account of the cutaneous sites, associated with abdominal tumoral syndrome, without mediastinal infiltration, and with a single peripheral adenopathy, in an elderly subject.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection with cutaneous and sinus lymphoproliferation in a white female patient with 25 years' follow-up: an original case report

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is characterized by chronic infectious mononucleosis-like symptoms associated with very high viral load, as assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We present an unusual case in a French woman who was followed up over 25 years with cutaneous and sinus lymphoproliferation. This white woman presented with a long history of recurrent cutaneous necrotic papules of the skin, which started during childhood and healed spontaneously with depressed scars. The lesions spread to the left maxillary sinus and were associated with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly with no other visceral locations. Pathological examination of the skin and sinus revealed a dermal monoclonal T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, CD7(+) and CD20(-) , with no epidermotropism. T-cell receptor rearrangement was positive, showing the monoclonality from the first biopsy. This T-cell proliferation was positive for EBV-encoded small RNA and was associated with a high EBV viral load. Since then, the patient has been in good health, despite a permanently high EBV viral load. Hydroa vacciniforme (HV)-like lymphoma and natural killer/T-cell lymphoma were discussed, but none really fit our case. Natural killer cell lymphoma was ruled out because of the indolent course, but sinus lesions do not exist in HV-like lymphoma. A therapeutic approach is difficult because of the coexistence of viral infection and monoclonal T-cell proliferation. Chemotherapy is not efficient and induces immunosuppression, which may worsen the prognosis. Although rituximab may have an immunomodulatory function, it was not effective in our case.

Melanoma-associated retinopathy treated with ipilimumab therapy

Melanoma-associated retinopathy (MAR) is a rare autoimmune syndrome in patients with melanoma characterized by visual disorders. MAR is induced by the degeneration of bipolar cells of the retina and the presence of serum autoantibodies against retina proteins. Ipilimumab, an anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 antibody, improves survival in previously treated patients with metastatic melanoma, but is responsible for a spectrum of immune-related adverse events. Administration of ipilimumab to patients with autoimmune diseases (such as MAR or vitiligo) is actually not recommended. We report a patient presenting with MAR occurring during a melanoma relapse. Surgery and chemotherapy had no effect on visual acuity and melanoma increased. In the absence of alternative antitumoral treatment, we focused on the vital prognosis and treated the patient with ipilimumab. Two years after the treatment the patient is free from new metastasis but has presented with exacerbation of vitiligo and MAR. In the very rare case of melanoma with autoimmune disease without a therapy option, ipilimumab could be discussed, taking into account the fact that it can be effective on tumor burden but can also increase autoimmunity.

Long-term impact of subclinical inflammation diagnosed by protocol biopsy one year after renal transplantation

The long-term impact of subclinical acute rejection (SCAR) on renal graft function remains poorly understood. Furthermore, the interpretation of borderline lesions is difficult and their incidence is variable. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of subclinical inflammation (SCI) in protocol biopsies performed 1-year after renal transplantation. SCI was defined as the presence of borderline lesions or SCAR according to the Banff 2005 classification. The patients included were a subpopulation of the CONCEPT study in which patients were randomized 3 months after transplantation to receive either sirolimus (SRL) or cyclosporine A (CsA) in combination with mycophenolate mofetil. At 1 year, we observed SCI in 37 of the 121 patients observed with an evaluable biopsy. The incidence was more frequent in the SRL group (SRL 45.2% vs. CsA 15.3%). At 30 months , SCI was associated with a significantly lower level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (mean MDRD 50.8 [±13.3] vs. 57.7 [±16.3] mL/min/1.73 m(2) , p = 0.035). In conclusion, SCI at 1-year posttransplantation is associated with worsening renal function and is more frequent in SRL-treated patients. Therefore, evaluation of SCI may be a valuable tool to allow the optimization of immunosuppressive regimens.

[Intracranial extension of cutaneous facial squamous cell carcinoma: involvement of the neurotropic pathway]

BACKGROUND

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer after basal cell carcinoma. It comprises locoregional malignant tumours with more rapid and severe spread, and which may metastasise through blood or lymph, and through a less well-known neurotropic pathway. We report a case of late and slowly progressive recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma revealed and characterized by neurological symptoms alone.

OBSERVATION

A 69-year-old woman with a history of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma on the left nostril edge removed 10 years earlier presented right trigeminal neuralgia in 2003. These symptoms gradually expanded and in 2007 a subcutaneous induration of the two cheeks appeared. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed subcutaneous infiltration of the 2 nasolabial sulci, as did contrast enhancement of the two trigeminal nerves up to the cavernous sinuses. Deep biopsy allowed a diagnosis of invasive squamous cell carcinoma to be made.

DISCUSSION

Neurotropism is an important feature of squamous cell carcinoma, and reveals the aggressive nature of this condition. This feature makes it hard to diagnose relapse since the neurological symptoms may be isolated for a long period, hence the need for systematic screening for perineural tumour sites on histological analysis of the initial lesion. Treatment for these forms is limited and for the moment consists of radiation, cetuximab and a combination of these two treatments.

[Management of whole-scalp tumour: the Poncet-Spiegler cylindroma or turban tumour]

INTRODUCTION

The Poncet-Spiegler cylindroma (PSC) is a benign annexal cutaneous tumor which preferentially develops on the scalp, neck, or forehead. Localizations may be isolated or multiple and often affect the young adult. The lesions grow progressively. When the scalp is completely involved, it presents as a "turban tumor". Treatment is surgery and may be difficult when the tumor is extended. We report the management of turban tumor.

OBSERVATION

A 25 year-old female patient was first treated by partial scalp nodule exeresis and histology documented a PSC. She was lost to follow-up. But 9 years later, she was managed for a turban like PSC. The treatment was a complete scalp exeresis and secondary reconstruction with a skin graft. Follow-up was uneventful with a progressive functional and cosmetic improvement and after 2 years, there was no relapse.

DISCUSSION

As for most tumors, management depends on the size of the PSC. An aggressive surgical treatment must be considered if the PSC is extended. In case of turban tumor, total scalp exeresis and secondary reconstruction with a skin graft is recommended.

Obstruction urétérale d’origine endométriosique

Endometriosis frequently affects women with genital activity and exceptionally involves the urinary tract, and the ureter in particular. From a case report of a female consulting for renal colic pain related to an intrinsic-type pelvic ureteral endometriosis, we report the difficulty in diagnosing this pseudotumoral obstruction and finding therapeutic options with a review of the literature. Ureteral endometriosis is marked by non-specific symptoms liable to delay preoperative diagnosis with a risk of deterioration of renal function due to the obstruction. Regarding the therapeutic approach, the surgical treatment associated or not with GNRH agonists seems best.

Détection du ganglion sentinelle dans les carcinomes épidermoïdes de la cavité buccale et de l’oropharynx. Étude préliminaire

INTRODUCTION

The sentinel lymph node is defined as the first relay of the lymphatic drainage of the tumor. Isotopic detection of the sentinel lymph node and absence of its metastatic invasion should theoretically be predictive of total drainage of the tumor. The goal of this study was to evaluate sentinel lymph node detectability by lymphoscintigraphy in N0 and/or N1 squamous-cell carcinoma of oral cavity and oropharynx and to determine its negative predictive value.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Lymphoscintigraphy was used for sentinel lymph node detection. The procedure required peritumoral injection of technicium-labeled colloids to enable anatomical and cutaneous location of the sentinel lymph node. A one-way Tyco-Mallinckrodt probe was used for intraoperative detection of the sentinel lymph node. This prospective study included 21 patients with N0 or N1 squamous-cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and the oropharynx. The surgical attitude based on T and N was not modified in this prospective study without direct individual benefit for the patient. Neck dissection was achieved without difficulty.

RESULTS

The sentinel lymph node was identified in 20 out of 21 subjects. The sentinel lymph node was not identified in one patient with recurrence T2N0M0 squamous-cell carcinoma of the oropharynx radiated 3 years earlier. The percentage of false-negatives was 12.5% (1 false-negative out of 8 positive patients), giving a sensibility of the detection method of 87.5% (IC (95%)=[47.35-99.68]). This false-negative patient had a T3N0M0 squamous-cell carcinoma of the oropharynx with a sentinel lymph node removed in territory III. Neck dissection revealed 1 N + R- in the sub-mandibular territory associated with 27 N-R-. The probability of not finding a metastatic node at neck dissection when the sentinel lymph node is not metastatic (negative predictive value) was 92.3% (12/13) (IC (95)=[63.97-99.81]). The specificity of the method was 100%, as was the positive predictive value, because no sentinel node was diagnosed positive wrongly on frozen sections among patients without true histological node metastasis.

DISCUSSION

For routine care of patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and the oropharynx detection of the sentinel lymph node is proposed primarily for patients with T1T2N0 staging. Larger tumors can modify the architecture and flow within the lymphatic ducts, and consequently even the concept of a sentinel lymph node. Systematic neck dissection is required or T3T4, even when N0. Our series of T1T2N0 tumors is too small to enable statistically significant conclusions. A low level of false-negative in a larger series would be necessary to propose this technique instead of convention neck dissection for T1T2 tumors of the oral cavity and oropharynx.

Hidradénite eccrine neutrophilique chez un sujet sain

BACKGROUND

Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis occurs mostly in patients receiving chemotherapy for acute myeloblastic leukemia, rarely in healthy patients. Histopathologic pattern is characteristic and includes selective necrosis of the eccrine glands with a local neutrophilic infiltrate.

CASE REPORT

We report the case of a 41 year-old woman with no medical past-history who developed during 2 years successive papulous skin eruptions. The latter always resolved spontaneously. Skin biopsy led to the diagnosis showing typical features of neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis.

DISCUSSION

Our case is original because the neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis had occurred in a healthy woman. Neither malignant hematologic disease nor visceral cancer was disclosed in this patient in the following 31 months.

Intérêt de la fusion TEP/TDM dans l’exploration de l’envahissement mandibulaire des cancers de la cavité orale et de l’oropharynx

The aim of the study is to assess mandible involvement in oral cavity and oropharyngeal carcinomas.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate interest of fusion of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with Computed Tomography scan (CT scan).

METHOD

Eight patients were included in this prospective study. Each patient underwent PET and CT scan of the head and neck before surgery including tumorectomy and mandibulectomy. We compared results of PET- CT fusion with histologic examinations.

RESULTS

Oral cavity (6), oropharyngeal (2) carcinoma: Mandibular invasion was suspected by PET-CT in 3 cases, but was confirmed in histological examination in only 2 cases. In 5 cases, PET-CT did not find mandibular invasion; this was confirmed in histological examination in all cases. Sensibility of PET-CT fusion was 100%, specificity was 83%. Positive predictive value was 66% and negative predictive value was 100%.

DISCUSSION

PET-CT fusion provided maximal sensitivity. Specificity was better than for MRI but less than CT-scan. There were no false negatives and the false positive rate was 33%.

CONCLUSION

PET-CT fusion is interesting to predict mandible involvement. Further studies are necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

[Atrophic involution of juvenile xanthogranulomas]

INTRODUCTION

We report an unusual atrophic involution of juvenile xanthogranulomas.

CASE REPORT

A newborn boy presented with 5 papular, nodular and necrotic lesions located on the upper part of the body. The diameter of the lesions ranged between 1 and 3 cm. Light microscopy showed an infiltrate with foamy and Touton cells. Langerhans' cell histiocytosis was eliminated because none of these cells showed reactivity for S100 protein and CD1a. At the age of 8 years, all the lesions had spontaneously regressed leaving unusual atrophic scars that had the same size as the active lesions.

DISCUSSION

We compared the clinical, histological and evolution data of our patient with 251 published cases. The most significant clinical feature of juvenile xanthogranuloma is the spontaneous involution without any trace. However, hyperpigmentation, anetoderma or atrophy may occur. Atrophy is not frequent and can result from 2 mechanisms. Inflammation of the hypodermic tissue, which becomes atrophic and atrophy that may also result from collagen remodeling anomalies during the scarring process.

Tumour of the juxtaoral organ

The juxtaoral organ is a normal and constant structure of the oral cavity. It consists of benign epithelial nests. We describe an intraoral tumour of the juxtaoral organ in a child. The tumour was not diagnosed after clinical and radiological examinations because it is extremely rare. A histological examination revealed a tumour of the juxtaoral organ, presumed to be neuroid hamartoma. This is only the second time that a tumour of the juxtaoral organ has been described in a child. We also describe the location, the embryology, the histology and the function of this organ. This is important because this structure can be confused with carcinomas of the oral cavity when examining frozen sections.

Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis with cutaneous cords and arthritis: a disorder associated with autoantibodies

Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis with arthritis is a new entity characterized by linear or arciform subcutaneous cords. We describe a patient presenting with typical cutaneous lesions extending from the anterior and posterior part of the axillae to the flank. The lesions had been present for 6 years with flares and remission. Histopathologic examination revealed a bandlike infiltrate of histiocytes in the reticular dermis with focal areas of palisading around necrotic collagen bundles. A few atypical histiocytes were also present. As previously described, it was associated with serologic findings of an autoimmune disease, especially high titers of anti-DNA antibodies. The possible inclusion of the interstitial granulomatous dermatitis in the continuous spectrum of the palisaded neutrophilic and granulomatous dermatitis of immune complex disease is also discussed.