Unusual presentation of a soft palate mass: A rare case report of solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma

IntroductionPlasmacytoma is a rare clonal neoplastic disorder of bone marrow that originates from plasma cells. It usually presents as a multiple myeloma (MM). Less than 5% of patients present with either a single bone lesion as a solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) or, even more rarely, as a soft tissue mass of monoclonal plasma cells representing a solitary extra medullary plasmacytoma (SEP).Case presentationWe report a case of a 59-year-old man presenting with a mass of the soft palate evolving for a year. Physical examination showed an extension to the nasal cavity. Biopsy with immunohistochemical study demonstrated sheets of mononucleated plasmacytoid cells diffusely expressing CD138. The plasma cells showed monoclonal light chain Kappa. Further investigations did not show any other locations including bone and bone marrow. Thus, diagnosis of solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the soft palate was established. The patient was treated with chemotherapy with total remission on his one year follow-up.DiscussionSEP may arise in any organ, either as a primary tumor or as part of a MM. Almost 90% of SEP arise in the head and neck, especially in the upper respiratory tract. Primary treatment for most patients is radiotherapy, but surgery may also be required, and multidisciplinary decision between surgeon, hematologist and radiotherapist is crucial for planning optimum care.ConclusionSEP is an extremely rare condition which requires diagnostic and therapeutic management in the same level of MM. Prognosis is better than the two other forms (MM and SBP).     

颈椎孤立性浆细胞瘤的外科干预及放疗结果分析

目的 探讨颈椎孤立性浆细胞瘤的临床特点、治疗方法及结果.方法 回顾性分析我科1995年1月至2007年12月收治的23例颈椎孤立性浆细胞瘤患者的临床资料,其中男性16例,女性7例,年龄32～76岁,平均56岁.23例患者除2例仅行单纯放疗外,余21例均行手术治疗.依据脊柱肿瘤WBB分期,采取全椎体切除6例,附件切除4例,矢状切除3例,全椎节切除8例,手术病例采用前路、后路或前后联合入路.脊柱重建方式采取自体髂骨植骨和颈前路钛板、钛网骨水泥内固定或前后联合植骨融合内固定,术后均行辅助放疗.结果 23例患者获得随访,随访时间24.0～143.0个月,平均64.7个月.患者术后颈部疼痛症状明显好转,神经压迫症状消失或得到不同程度的改善,术后3个月患者神经功能Frankel分级平均有1～2个级别的改善.内固定位置及颈椎稳定性良好,无脊柱失稳现象,植骨融合率100%.随访期内有6例局部复发,且进展为多发性骨髓瘤(MM),死亡3例.2例未手术者分别于确诊后1年及1.5年进展为MM,转血液科进一步化疗.15例患者术后辅助放疗后一般情况良好,随访期内复查M蛋白、骨髓穿刺等检查均未见明显异常,单光子发射计算机断层扫描或PET-CT检查未发现其他部位骨骼有新发病灶.结论 颈椎孤立性浆细胞瘤临床较为少见,对于骨质破坏明显、椎节不稳或神经功能障碍者,首选手术治疗;术后辅助放疗能明显降低局部复发率及进展为MM的可能性,进展为MM者应根据相应化疗方案进行化疗,预后相对较差.     

INTRA-ARTERIAL INFUSION CHEMOTHERAPY IN COMBINATION WITH A BISCOCLAURINE ALKALOID, CEPHARANTHIN, TO TREAT BONE METASTASIS ARISING FROM RENAL CELL CARCINOMA

A 64-year-old man with iliac bone metastasis from left renal cell carcinoma was treated by intraarterial infusion chemotherapy using vinblastine and epirubicine in combination with a biscoclaurine alkaloid, Cepharanthin. A good response was confirmed by computed tomography scan and the symptoms related to the metastatic lesion were much improved. Partial resection of the left iliac bone was performed when no viable cancer cells were found in the metastatic lesion.     

Brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent solitary brain metastases

Conventional therapy for solitary brain metastases includes radiotherapy and surgical resection in selected cases. Often, however, the metastasis recurs and limits the quality of life and survival of the patient. Once the metastasis recurs, therapeutic options are limited. Brachytherapy delivers a high total dose of radiation to a localized area, allowing reirradiation at the time of recurrence. Three patients with recurrent brain metastases treated with iridium-192 implants are presented; two of these patients had breast carcinoma and one had malignant melanoma. The implants allowed long term survival in the two patients with recurrent metastatic breast carcinoma. Unfortunately, the patient with melanoma did not respond to the brachytherapy and died within 7 months of implantation. The approaches to treatment to metastatic brain tumors and the rationale for using brachytherapy are discussed.     

Radiofrequency ablation and percutaneous ethanol injection treatment for recurrent local and distant well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and percutaneous ethanol (EtOH) injection treatment of local recurrence or focal distant metastases of well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WTC). BACKGROUND: RFA and EtOH injection techniques are new minimally invasive surgical alternatives for treatment of recurrent WTC. We report our experience and long-term follow-up results using RFA or EtOH ablation in treating local recurrence and distant focal metastases from WTC. METHODS: Twenty patients underwent treatment of biopsy-proven recurrent WTC in the neck. Sixteen of these patients had lesions treated by ultrasound-guided RFA (mean size, 17.0 mm; range, 8-40 mm), while 6 had ultrasound-guided EtOH injection treatment (mean size, 11.4 mm; range, 6-15 mm). Four patients underwent RFA treatment of focal distant metastases from WTC. Three of these patients had CT-guided RFA of bone metastases (mean size, 40.0 mm; range, 30-60 mm), and 1 patient underwent RFA for a solitary lung metastasis (size, 27 mm). Patients were then followed with routine ultrasound, I whole body scan, and/or serum thyroglobulin levels for recurrence at the treatment site. RESULTS: No recurrent disease was detected at the treatment site in 14 of the 16 patients treated with RFA and in all 6 patients treated with EtOH injection at a mean follow-up of 40.7 and 18.7 months, respectively. Two of the 3 patients treated for bone metastases are free of disease at the treatment site at 44 and 53 months of follow-up, respectively. The patient who underwent RFA for a solitary lung metastasis is free of disease at the treatment site at 10 months of follow-up. No complications were experienced in the group treated by EtOH injection, while 1 minor skin burn and 1 permanent vocal cord paralysis occurred in the RFA treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: RFA and EtOH ablation show promise as alternatives to surgical treatment of recurrent WTC in patients with difficult reoperations. Further long-term follow-up studies are necessary to determine the precise role these therapies should play in the treatment of recurrent WTC.     

Percutaneous autologous bone marrow grafting for simple bone cysts.

Twelve patients with simple bone cysts treated by percutaneous autologous bone marrow grafting were studied prospectively to evaluate the radiographic healing of the cysts, complications, and clinical outcome. The procedure included percutaneous aspiration of the cyst's fluid and the injection of the autologous bone marrow into the cyst cavity, which was aspirated from the posterior iliac crest. The mean volume of the lesions was 51.2 cubic centimeters (27 to 74 cc). The mean follow-up time was 23 months (range: 18 to 38 months). Complete healing occurred in two of the patients. Three cysts had residual cystic defect in which two required curettage and bone chip grafts. Six cases recurred. One patient failed to show any signs healing. We concluded that factors such as the size, multi-loculation, and completeness of the filling of the cyst with bone marrow grafting might influence the postoperative results of the treatment of simple bone cysts with bone marrow injection. We found more favorable result with unilobular, small cysts. Therefore, we believe that this method of treatment should be applied to carefully selected patients.     

Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a case of remarkable remission with combined chemotherapy

A 67-year-old man presented with asymptomatic gross hematuria. Cystoscopy and radiographic studies revealed a large tumor on the left lateral wall of the urinary bladder. Also, computer tomographic (CT) scan of the pelvic cavity showed metastasis to the left external iliac node. The light microscopic appearance of cold punch biopsy specimens for the tumor was closely akin to small cell carcinoma of the lung. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells exhibited small numbers of neurosecretory granules in the cytoplasm. After surgical treatment, the patient was treated with combined chemotherapy using cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) and etoposide. On CT scan, a remarkable remission was shown to have been induced at the metastatic site after three cycles of the therapy. Though the morphology of bladder tumors has not received very much attention, this report emphasizes that detailed pathological examination is of therapeutic importance.     

组织工程化骨修复下颌骨缺损(附3例报告)

目的探讨以人自体骨髓基质干细胞(hBMSC)作为种子细胞的组织工程化骨在治疗肿瘤术后下颌骨缺损的可行性。方法回顾性分析2005年1月至2005年12月收治3例组织工程骨修复颌面部肿瘤术后下颌骨缺损的临床资料。抽取人骼前上棘骨髓,分离出hBMSC,经体外诱导和扩增,将hBMSC与部分脱钙骨(30%～40%)复合,于体外培养1个月后,手术植入骨缺损区。分别于术后2周、3个月、2年进行PET-CT检查随访。结果 PET-CT示,术后3个月能形成组织工程化骨,并修复了骨组织缺损,临床治疗效果稳定。结论以自体hBMSC为种子细胞,利用组织工程技术可在人体内形成稳定的组织工程化骨组织,并能修复下颌骨缺损。     

FDG-PET in the evaluation of myeloma in 2012

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant haematological disease characterised by clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. MM is expressed by diffuse infiltration of the bone marrow, focal bone lesions and extra-medullary lesions. Conventional staging follows the Salmon and Durie classification, which was recently revised (Salmon and Durie plus) to include MRI and FDG-PET examinations. FDG-PET is being evaluated for initial staging and therapeutic monitoring and its place still needs to be validated, particularly in comparison with MRI of the pelvis and spine, the reference examination for diagnosis, which is systematically combined with X-rays of the skeleton. Certain recent data in the literature suggest that FDG-PET provides better staging of the disease at the time of diagnosis than MRI, and that the examination has considerable prognostic value when it normalises after the initial courses of chemotherapy and at the end of treatment. As for the evaluation of lymphomas, the interpretation criteria should be standardised.     

Solitary osseous metastasis in a patient with germ cell tumor--successful chemotherapy]

A 25-year-old patient with testicular teratoma (pathological stage I) relapsed with a solitary, symptomatic metastasis in the right humerus 8 months after unilateral orchiectomy and lymphadenectomy. Treatment consisted in three cycles of standard chemotherapy with etoposide, bleomycin and cisplatin (the last replaced by carboplatin in courses 2 and 3). No supplementary treatment proved necessary to achieve complete remission and complete physical rehabilitation. Only four cases of solitary bone metastasis of testicular germ cell tumors have been reported previously. The present case illustrates that, contrary to previous reports, symptomatic skeletal metastases of germ cell tumors can safely be treated with standard chemotherapy alone.     

Concomitant bone marrow metastasis of a glioblastoma multiforme revealed at the diagnosis

Summary The rare occurrence of extra-neural metastases in patients having a tumour of the central nervous system (CNS) could mean that the symptoms of a metastatic lesion are confused with a second pathology. We recently treated a patient with a glioblastoma multiforme who was developing a pancytopaenia at the initial diagnosis. The frequent red cell and platelet transfusions were transitorily active. An extensive radiological investigation and a unilateral iliac bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were performed. Cells immunoreactive to glial fibrillary acidic protein were detected in a specimen obtained from the iliac bone. Post-mortem examination confirmed metastasis to extra-cranial bone and revealed other metastases in lung, mediastinal lymph node and spleen. Therefore, in patients with malignant glioma tumours, bone marrow metastasis, though not common, should be investigated when bone pain or cytopaenia occur.     

Diffuse vertebral body metastasis from a glioblastoma multiforme: a technetium-99m Sestamibi single-photon emission computerized tomography study

The authors report on a case of right temporal glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) that metastasized to multiple bone regions (dorsolumbar vertebrae and iliac bone) 8 months after initial diagnosis, despite combined radio- and chemotherapy. Results of a whole-bone single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) study using the imaging agent Sestamibi (MIBI) revealed extracranial metastases from the GBM. A magnetic resonance imaging study of the dorsolumbar spinal region completed the radiological investigation. Cells immunoreactive to glial fibrillary acidic protein were observed in a specimen obtained from the right iliac bone. Postmortem examination confirmed metastasis to extracranial bone and revealed two other metastatic localizations in the lung and heart. This is the first reported case of extracranial bone metastasis from a GBM demonstrated on a whole-bone MIBI SPECT scan. In patients with malignant glioma and lower-back pain (especially prolonged pain), bone metastasis, although uncommon, does occasionally occur and its possibility should be investigated; a MIBI SPECT study may prove useful in this regard.     

Improved contrast for myeloma focal lesions with T2-weighted Dixon images compared to T1-weighted images

PurposeThe purpose of this study was twofold. First, to compare the contrast between spinal multiple myeloma (MM) focal lesions and surrounding bone marrow obtained on T2-weighted Dixon fat-only MR images to that obtained on T1-weighted spin-echo images. Second, to search for correlation between bone marrow fat fraction assessed by T2-weighted Dixon sequence and International Myeloma Working Group myeloma defining events.Materials and methodsA total of 39 patients with 112 focal MM lesions were included. There were 25 men and 14 women with a mean age of 68.8 ± 9.8 [SD] years (range: 49-88 years). Contrast between focal MM lesions and surrounding bone marrow was calculated on T1-weighted spin-echo and T2-weighted Dixon (including water-only and fat-only) images. Contrast between focal MM lesions and bone marrow was compared using ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests. Correlation between bone marrow fat fraction and myeloma defining events was assessed using Spearman's correlation test.ResultsMM lesion contrast was greater on T2-weighted Dixon (F (2;93) = 35.10) than on T1-weighted images (P < 0.0001). Greatest MM lesion contrast was achieved with T2-weighted Dixon fat-only (0.63 ± 0.21 [SD]; range: 0.06–0.91) compared to T2-weighted Dixon water-only (0.45 ± 0.20 [SD]; range: 0.07–0.8) (P = 0.0003) and T1-weighted (0.23 ± 0.19 [SD]; range: 0.04–0.87) (P < 0.0001) images. There were no significant correlations between myeloma defining events and fat fraction.ConclusionT2-weighted Dixon fat-only images provide greater contrast between MM lesions and adjacent bone marrow than T1-weighted images. The usefulness of a T1-weighted sequence associated to a T2-weighted Dixon sequence has to be determined.     

骨嗜酸细胞肉芽肿的临床特征与治疗

目的探讨骨嗜酸细胞肉芽肿的临床表现、诊断和治疗效果。方法1991年3月至2006年3月收治骨嗜酸细胞肉芽肿28例,男19例,女9例;年龄1-61岁,平均22.4岁。病程20d～10个月。单发24例,多发4例。影像学表现为溶骨性改变,15例伴软组织肿物影。于外院确诊5例,入院后误诊为原发肿瘤及转移癌12例。所有病例均经病理学确诊。单发病例行化疗1例,手术治疗20例,手术后辅以放疗、化疗、激素综合治疗3例;多发病例采用放疗1例,激素治疗1例,综合治疗2例。结果全部病例随访7个月￣15年,平均5.3年。20例手术者手术治愈率100%;术后辅以放疗、化疗及激素治疗者无复发;植骨者6～12个月骨性愈合,随访功能不受限。1例行胸椎椎板减压术者截瘫部分恢复。4例多发病例中2例出现复发,再次给予激素及放疗、化疗后缓解。结论骨嗜酸细胞肉芽肿临床症状及影像学表现与肿瘤类似,误诊率极高。术前应尽可能行穿刺活检。对单发病例宜采用手术治疗,可辅以放疗或化疗;多发病例病灶多、范围广,不宜采用手术治疗,可选择放疗、化疗、激素治疗等综合疗法。     

Very unusual solitary metastasis of testicular seminoma to the skull

We present a rare presentation of testicular seminoma. A 60‐year‐old man presented with a solitary subcutaneous metastasis to the skull, 4 years after radical orchidectomy and adjuvant prophylatic radiotherapy for stage T1 seminomatous germ cell tumour. The patient was treated with surgical excision of the solitary metastasis, adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy. He has been followed up for two and a half years with no further recurrence.     

Treatment of Ewing's sarcoma in the cooperative Ewing's sarcoma study group

Multidisciplinary treatment approaches have greatly improved the prognosis of patients with Ewing's sarcoma. Four- or five-drug combination chemotherapy regimens are combined with radiation and/or surgery for local control. Currently, in the Cooperative Ewing's Sancoma Study (CESS) trials, approximately 60% of the protocol patients with Ewing's sarcoma show a relapse-free 10-year survival. For improvement of local control, preoperative radiotherapy and/or brachytherapy may be helpful. The early detection of blood and/or bone marrow contamination by molecular diagnosis can lead to a new clinical staging system. A myeloablative regimen consisting of simultaneous total-body irradiation and chemotherapy may improve the prognosis of patients with disseminated disease.     

Intracranial treatment for solitary prostatic adenocarcinoma brain metastasis is curative

Solitary metastasis to the brain from prostate cancer is rare. We present a young patient with a prostate-specific antigen value of 26 ng/dL and pathologic Gleason score 4 + 5 = 9 prostatic adenocarcinoma who developed a solitary cerebral metastasis 4 years after radical prostatectomy. With aggressive treatment involving resection of the solitary metastasis and use of local brachytherapy, the patient remains with an undetectable PSA level and without evidence of disease 5 years later. Our experience suggests that delayed solitary metastasis may be curable with treatment.     

A case of pelvic malignant paraganglioma

We report a rare case of pelvic malignant paraganglioma that was treated with surgery, combination chemotherapy and radiation. A 47-year-old man was diagnosed with pelvic malignant paraganglioma that had metastasised to the thoracic vertebrae. The pelvic mass, which was 6 cm in size, was on the posterior side of the bladder and had invaded the prostate, seminal vesicle and bladder neck. We resected the intrapelvic tumor and lymph nodes using cystoprostatectomy. Metastases to bilateral obturator lymph nodes and the right internal iliac lymph node were shown by pathology. Adjuvant therapies included six courses of the combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine and dacarbazine), and 12 courses of VP-16 therapy. Radiation therapy was done for metastasis of the thoracic vertebrae. Local recurrence, progression of bone metastasis and new metastasis have not been detected since these treatments. The patient has been clinically stable during 20 months of follow-up. Chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide, vincristine and dacarbazine and VP-16 with radiation appears to be effective in treating advanced malignant paraganglioma.     

Laparoscopic insertion of pelvic tissue expander prior radiotherapy for sacral metastasis of alveolar maxillary rhabdomyosarcoma to prevent radiation enteritis

IntroductionRhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma seen in childhood and adolescence. The most frequent sites are head and neck.Presentation of caseA young female with maxillary rhabdomyosarcoma involving region of maxillary sinus with skeletal metastases was primary treated acccording to RMS 2005 protocol. She received 9 cycles of chemotherapy. Primary tumor of maxillary sinus was surgicaly removed after 4 cycles of chemotherapy, with 6th cycle of chemotherapy a radical radiotherapy of primary tumor location and metastasis in spinal vertebras, ribs, pelvic bone and left femoral bone started what leads to complete regression of skeletal metastases. In course of maintenance therapy MRI scan showed 12 × 28 × 23 mm lesion in sacrum in the vicinity of right sacroiliacal joint with caracteristics of metastasis. Because the region of right sacroiliacal joint with bowel was already included in primary radiation treatment, tissue expander was laparoscopicaly inserted in lower pelvis to displace bowel loops from radiation field to prevent radiation enteritis. After external beam radiotherapy to her sacrum, a good response without any side effects was achieved.DiscussionLaparoscopic insertion of pelvic tissue expander prior EBRT and it's subsequent removal after EBRT is safe and effective method for displacing loops of bowel out of the pelvis. With minimal morbidity converts untreatable disease to treatable by allowing delivering high doses of radiation to the patient.ConclusionAfter 2 years of follow up the disease is in remission and the patient without any major complaint.     

Occult lumbar vertebral body metastasis of non-seminomatous germ cell tumor eradicated by radiation and salvage surgery 9 years after initial onset

In this report we describe a case of late relapse non-seminomatous germ cell tumor eradicated after 9 years of initial onset. A 20-year-old man complaining of recent aches, vomiting and headaches was diagnosed with right testicular tumor with solitary brain and bilateral lung metastases. At presentation, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) was elevated to 22,000 mIU/ml, and alpha-fetoprotein to 79 ng/ml. A right high orchiectomy was performed, followed by a right occipital osteoplastic craniotomy due to the presence of left hemiplesia and anisocoria prior to chemotherapy. Pathologically, the tumors were embryonal carcinoma and yolk sac tumor. The patient received 5 cycles of cisplatin-based PEP chemotherapy (cisplatin, etoposide and peplomycin) after which all the tumor markers fell to within the normal range. The remaining right lung tumor was removed surgically and the remnant lesion was found to be scar tissue. Four years after initial therapy, elevated serum HCG levels were detected. The tumor metastasis showed only HCG elevation responsive to chemotherapy each time followed by relapse and undetectable with all kinds of imaging examinations for 5 years. Finally when the tumor became chemorefractory, conventional computed tomography scan on bone window detected the occult tumor in L4 corporal body. After radiation therapy the tumor was removed by total spondylectomy and there was no viable tumor cells in the specimen pathologically. HCG fell to within normal range according to its half life period after the operation and there is no relapse of HCG after 18 months follow up. CT bone window photography may be sometimes useful to detect occult bone metastasis and salvage surgery combined with radiation therapy may be worth trying in patients with chemorefractory non-seminomatous germ cell tumors.