Tonsillar metastasis of gastric cancer

Metastasis from a malignant tumor to the palatine tonsils is rare, with only 100 cases reported in the English-language literature. Tonsillar metastasis from a gastric cancer is very rare. We report here a case of palatine tonsillar metastasis after gastric cancer surgery. The patient was an 88-year-old woman who had gastric cancer with abdominal wall invasion. She had undergone a distal gastrectomy with abdominal wall resection and D2 lymph node dissection. Histologically, the tumor was primarily a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. It was stage IV (T4, N1, M0) using TNM clinical classification. The patient developed pharyngeal discomfort and abdominal pain and was hospitalized during the follow-up period, 1 year 9 months post-operatively. Multiple lung metastases, Virchow’s lymph node metastasis, and adrenal metastasis were observed. A mass of 2.5 cm was also observed in the right palatine tonsil. It was diagnosed as a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, a metastasis from gastric cancer. There was a concern of asphyxiation due to hemorrhage of the tumor; however, the tumor dislodged approximately 10 days after biopsy and tonsillar recurrence was not observed. The patient died 1 year 10 months post-operatively. In the literature there are cases with tonsillar metastases where surgical treatment, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were performed and extension of survival was seen. Tonsillar metastasis is a form of systemic metastasis of a malignant tumor, and there is a high risk for asphyxiation from tumor dislodgement or hemorrhage. Thus, it is important to recognize tonsillar metastasis as an oncologic emergency.     

Krukenberg tumor from gastric mucosal carcinoma without lymphatic or venous invasion: report of a case

A 49-year-old woman was admitted because of early gastric carcinoma. Subtotal gastrectomy was performed. In the resected specimen, gastric mucosal carcinoma without lymph node metastases was located in the prepyloric region. Histologic type was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and signetring cell carcinoma, and there was no lymphatic or venous invasion. One year after operation, a left ovarian tumor was detected. At the second operation, bilateral oophorectomy and hysterectomy were performed. Pathological findings revealed Krukenberg tumors originating from the gastric carcinoma in the bilateral ovaries. One year after the second operation, a hard mass due to cancer recurrence developed in the pelvis with symptoms including tenesmus and abdominal pain. Chemotherapy and palliative colostomy were performed. She died of peritonitis carcinomatosa six years and two months after the first operation. We experienced a rare case of Krukenberg tumor with two interesting points; its origin was gastric mucosal carcinoma without lymphatic or venous invasion, and the patient survived for more than four years after the diagnosis.     

Traumatic subdural hematoma in the lumbar spine

Traumatic spinal subdural hematoma is rare and its mechanism remains unclear. This intervention describes a patient with mental retardation who was suffering from back pain and progressive weakness of the lower limbs following a traffic accident. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine revealed a lumbar subdural lesion. Hematoma was identified in the spinal subdural space during an operation. The muscle power of both lower limbs recovered to normal after surgery. The isolated traumatic spinal subdural hematoma was not associated with intracranial subdural hemorrhage. A spinal subdural hematoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal cord compression, especially for patients who have sustained spinal trauma. Emergency surgical decompression is usually the optimal treatment for a spinal subdural hematoma with acute deterioration and severe neurological deficits.     

Isolated splenic metastases from gastric carcinoma:A case report and literature review

Isolated metastases to the spleen from gastric carcinoma is very rare.Only a few cases have been reported in the literature.We herein present a case of isolated splenic metastases in a 62-year-old man,occurring 12 mo after total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.The patient underwent a laparoscopic exploration,during which two lesions were found at the upper pole of the spleen,without involvement of other organs.A laparoscopic splenectomy was performed.Histological examination confirmed that the splenic tumor was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma similar to the primary gastric lesion.The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient has been well for 9 mo,with no tumor recurrence.The clinical data of 18 cases of isolated splenic metastases from gastric carcinoma treated by splenectomy were summarized after a literature review.To our knowledge,this is the first reported case of isolated splenic metastases undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy.     

Early Gastric Cancer as a Possible Cause of Cauda Equina Syndrome and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Abstract: Early gastric cancer is an important gastric malignancy which is defined as adenocarcinoma confined to the mucosa or submucosa of the stomach with or without simultaneous metastases involving regional lymph nodes. The prognosis of early gastric cancer is generally good with a 5-year survival rate of about 95%. Distant metastases and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) usually occur in the advanced stage of gastric cancer but are relatively rare in early gastric cancer. Cauda equina syndrome has never before been reported as the initial presentation of gastric cancer, and to our knowledge, up to 1993, only 17 cases of early gastric cancer with synchronous liver metastases had been reported. Bone metastases with DIC and adrenal metastasis are both rare in early gastric cancer. Herein, we present a case of early gastric cancer with an initial presentation including cauda equina syndrome and DIC. Synchronous hepatic, adrenal gland, pulmonary, bone and bone marrow metastases were found two days after admission. The patient had a fulminant clinical course and died 45 days after the diagnosis. A small focus (0.8 × 0.5cm) of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma located in the mucosa and submucosa at the gastric lower body with extensive lymphatic permeation around the primary focus and duodenum were noted at autopsy. Cancers with an unknown primary accounted for 4.9% of cancers presenting with disseminated intravascular coagulation. Our experience disclosed that early gastric cancer is a potential cause of cauda equina syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation.     

Venous tumor thrombosis and cavernous transformation of the portal vein in a patient with gastric carcinoma

A case of extensive extra-and intrahepatic portal tumor thrombosis, with no metastatic foci in liver parenchyma, secondary to advanced gastric carcinoma in a 69-year-old man is reported. The portal tumor thrombosis was characterized by enlargement of the thrombosed segment of the vein, decreased density mass without intraluminal enhancement of the involved vein, nonvisualization of the portal venous branch in the involved lobe, and the so-called cavernous transformation of the portal vein. The surgically resected gastric specimen showed Borrmann type 3 advanced papillary adenocarcinoma. The portal tumor thrombus is presumed to have arisen from vascular invasion in the primary foci of gastric carcinoma, and then to have permeated the portal vein without invasion of liver parenchyma.     

Exercise-induced acute spinal subdural hematoma: a case report

A 63-year-old woman developed acute back pain and sciatica after playing hula-hoop. Urinary incontinence was also noted. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed acute thoracolumbar spinal subdural hematoma. After emergency surgical decompression and evacuation of the spinal subdural hematoma, the patient had good recovery without any postoperative neurologic deficit. In this article, we describe and review the clinical presentations, characteristic findings from imaging studies, and treatment of spinal subdural hematoma.     

Lymph node metastasis in gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma in male patients

AIM:To reveal the clinicopathological features and risk factors for lymph node metastases in gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma of male patients.METHODS:We retrospective reviewed a total of 146male and female patients with gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma who had undergone curative gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy in the Department of Surgery,Xin Hua Hospital and Rui Jin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School between November2001 and May 2012.Both the surgical procedure and extent of lymph node dissection were based on the recommendations of Japanese gastric cancer treatment guidelines.Univariate and multivariate analyses of lymph node metastases and the clinicopathological features were undertaken.RESULTS:The rate of lymph node metastases in male patients with gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma was72.1%.Univariate analysis showed an obvious correlation between lymph node metastases and tumor size,gross appearance,differentiation,pathological tumor depth,and lymphatic invasion in male patients.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that tumor differentiation and pathological tumor depth were the independent risk factors for lymph node metastases in male patients.There was an obvious relationship between lymph node metastases and tumor size,gross appearance,differentiation,pathological tumor depth,lymphatic invasion at pN1and pN2,and nerve invasion at pN3in male patients.There were no significant differences in clinicopathological features or lymph node metastases between female and male patients.CONCLUSION:Tumor differentiation and tumor depth were risk factors for lymph node metastases in male patients with gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma and should be considered when choosing surgery.     

IgG4-Related Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis with Skull Base Involvement Presenting with Isolated Glossopharyngeal and Vagus Nerve Palsy

We herein report a 70-year-old man diagnosed with IgG4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis with skull base involvement, who presented with isolated glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve palsy. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed enhanced dural thickening of the posterior clivus and skull base involvement. When a patient with hypertrophic pachymeningitis presents with isolated cranial neuropathy without systemic manifestations or definite MRI abnormalities, it is difficult to make a diagnosis, and the patient may be misdiagnosed. This case suggests that a detailed radiological evaluation including contrast enhancement of the skull base is very important in patients with isolated glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve palsy.     

Gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells

Extraskeletal neoplasms with osteoclast-like giant cells are uncommon. These tumors are most frequently reported in the breast and pancreas, and are relatively rare in other sites. We report a case of primary gastric adenocarcinoma with an infiltrate of osteoclast-like giant cells. The patient is a 64-yr-old black woman who presented with epigastric pain and was found to have a mass in the gastric antrum. Histological examination showed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with an infiltrate of osteoclast-like giant cells. The giant cells were present both in the primary gastric adenocarcinoma and in the lymph node metastases. Immunohistochemical stains demonstrated that the giant cells were of monocytic/histiocytic origin and probably represent a distinctive host response to the tumor. The patient is alive and well 12 months after resection. This is the second published report of gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells. Based on this limited experience, gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells may represent a distinct clinicopathological entity with a more favorable prognosis.     

Gastric signet-ring adenocarcinoma presenting with breast metastasis

Breast metastases from gastric cancer are extremely rare. A case report of a 37-year-old female with breast inflammatory invasion and ascites is described. Breast biopsy revealed carcinomatous invasion of the lymphatics from adenocarcinoma cells with signet-ring features. Estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and c-erb-B2 were negative. Upper gastrointestinal endosco-py revealed a prepyloric ulcerative mass. Histopathologic examination of the lesion showed infiltration from a highgrade adenocarcinoma, identical with that of the breast. Immunostaining was positive for cytokeratins CK-7 and CK-20 and CEA and negative for ER and PR. Ascitic fluid cytology was positive for adenocarcinoma cells. Mammography was not diagnostic. Abdominal CT scanning revealed large ovarian masses suggestive of metastases (Krukenberg's tumor). A cisplatin-based regimen was given but no objective response was observed. The patient died six months after initial diagnosis. A review of the literature is performed.     

Thoracic chordoma: an unusual presentation of the spinal tumor

Chordoma is an uncommon malignant bone tumor that originates from the remnants of the embryonic notochord. In most of the reported cases, chordomas occur at the skull base or in the sacrococcygeal spine but rarely in the thoracic spine. In this report, we describe a case of a large thoracic chordoma with posterior mediastinal extension in a 25-year-old woman who presented with left-hand anhydrosis. The imaging studies, pathology findings, and recent advances in treatment are discussed.     

First reported case of esophageal paraganglioma. A review of the literature of gastrointestinal tract paraganglioma including gangliocytic paraganglioma

Paraganglioma and the variant gangliocytic paraganglioma are rare gastrointestinal tumors. We present the first reported case of an esophageal paraganglioma and a review of the literature. From this review it seems that these tumors can occur at any age and usually present with acute or chronic bleeding with or without abdominal pain. The majority of reported cases originated in the foregut, most commonly the second part of the duodenum. Macroscopically the tumor may be pedunculated, sessile or ulcerated and have been described up to 10 cm in size. There are no reported cases of gut paragangliomas shown to be producing clinically significant amounts of catecholamines. The majority of reported tumors have been benign, only 7% malignant at presentation and all with lymph node metastases. One case developed bone metastases 3 years after excision and another recurred locally. There has been no benefit seen from radiotherapy or chemotherapy to date and it is recommended that all of these tumors are widely excised together with a lymph node resection if possible.     

Structural pedicled mucochondral‐osteal nasoseptal flap: a novel method for orbital floor reconstruction after sinonasal and skull base tumor resection

Unrepaired orbital floor defects after sinonasal and skull‐base tumor resection can lead to herniation of orbital contents into the maxillary or ethmoidal sinuses, possibly resulting in infection and significant cosmetic and functional deficits. Orbital floor defects are usually repaired using prosthetic implants or autogenous material. Nasal septal cartilage has been used previously as a free graft for reconstruction. However, its reliance on local vascular supply can result in ischemia and necrosis in the postoperative period. The vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap, consisting of mucoperichondrium and mucoperiosteum, is routinely used as an effective reconstruction method for endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid leaks arising from skull base dural defects. However, this flap does not provide rigid structural reconstruction when used alone. We report a case of an orbital floor defect repaired using a pedicled mucochondral‐osteal nasoseptal flap. This technique incorporates the structural component of the nasal septal cartilage and bone with the vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap. This repair technique may be useful in patients requiring postoperative radiotherapy.     

Bronchogenic cyst of the stomach involved with gastric adenocarcinoma

Bronchogenic cyst, a congenital anomaly mostly found in the mediastinum, rarely arises in the stomach. A 43-year-old man had epigastric pain and was diagnosed as having gastric adenocarcinoma. Abdominal ultrasonography showed hepatic cyst, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic lesion near the stomach. At surgery, the cystic lesion was found to be located at the lesser curvature of the stomach where the cancer invasion was seen. Total gastrectomy with combined resection of the cystic lesion was performed. Pathologically, the cyst wall was lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium, subepithelial mixed seromucinous glands and smooth muscle bundles. The pathological diagnosis was bronchogenic cyst of the stomach involved with gastric adenocarcinoma. Based on a similar association between gastric diffuse submucosal cysts and gastric cancer in the previous reports, it is possible that chronic inflammation from bronchogenic cysts to the gastric mucosa may cause adenocarcinoma in the stomach. At surgery, complete combined resection without rupture of the bronchogenic cyst involved with the gastric adenocarcinoma is needed for treatment of gastric cancer to prevent dissemination of cancer cells considering when cancer cells have invaded beyond the pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium and within the bronchogenic cyst.     

Gastric adenocarcinoma presenting with soft tissue masses

Patients with gastric adenocarcinoma typically present with symptoms that include anorexia, early satiety, and weight loss. Although the disease may already be far advanced at presentation, signs and symptoms from involvement of skeletal muscle are extremely uncommon. In fact, metastatic cancer of any type to the skeletal muscles is rare, and most of these metastases are discovered at autopsy. We report here the case of a 65-yr-old man who presented with complaints of weight loss, early satiety, bloating, and swelling and tenderness in his upper thighs. Endoscopy with biopsy revealed invasive, poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma. Biopsy of one of the thigh masses displayed the same findings. The patient initially responded well to an investigational protocol with high-dose 5-fluorouracil, with regression of the thigh masses and palliation of his pain.     

Adenocarcinoma arising from gastric duplication: a case report with literature review

Gastric duplication is a rare congenital malformation. We report the case of a 50-year-old man with adenocarcinoma derived from gastric duplication. He was referred to our institute because of persistent vomiting due to pyloric stenosis. Abdominal computed tomography revealed two cystic lesions: a 2-cm mass located along the greater curvature of the upper gastric corpus and a 3-cm mass adjacent to the bulbus. Under the diagnosis of gastric duplication cysts, the oral cyst was removed with the gastric wall and the other cyst lesion firmly adhered to the bulbus was treated with distal gastrectomy. Based on histological findings showing adenocarcinoma in the anal duplication cyst wall and regional lymph node metastases and cancer invasion into the duodenal stump, pancreatoduodenectomy was performed 9 days after the initial surgery. Invasion into the pancreas head and duodenal walls was seen in the resected specimen. Although the postoperative course was uneventful, he died of local recurrence and multiple liver metastases 14 months after surgical treatment. This case report with literature review indicates that alimentary tract duplication cysts should be recognized as risky lesions of cancer development in patients aged 50 years or over.     

A case of gastric metastasis of breast carcinoma resembling early gastric cancer]

Many patients suffering from breast carcinoma have metastases at initial diagnosis. The common metastatic sites are skeleton, liver and lung. Metastases to stomach are rare and only three cases have been reported in Korea. The endoscopic features of gastric metastases from breast carcinoma can be divided into three main categories: diffuse infiltration, external compression, and localized tumor deposition with ulceration or with a polypoid mass. However, metastatic gastric lesions which resemble early gastric carcinoma are rare. Typically, gastric metastases are confined to submucosa and muscularis, so that mucosal biopsy specimens might be false-negative. We report a case of gastric metastasis from infiltrative lobular carcinoma of the breast in a 66-year-old woman who had undergone left mastectomy with postoperative radiotherapy 17 years earlier. Initial diagnosis was early gastric carcinoma, signet ring cell type on gastric biopsy findings. However, definitive diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer was confirmed after endoscopic mucosal resection of a presumed primary early gastric carcinoma.     

Infectious endocarditis associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hematoma and multiple brain abscesses

Hemorrhagic stroke is a complication of infectious endocarditis (IE), and severe hemorrhage accompanies Staphylococcus aureus IE during early uncontrolled infection. However, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or subdural hematoma is rare. A case of S. aureus IE associated with SAH and subdural hematoma in the early stage is reported. A 54-year-old man with a history of mitral valve prolapse presented with fever. Two days after the onset, he fell into a confused state with convulsion and left hemiparesis. He became comatose and brain CT and MRI demonstrated SAH and subdural hematoma with severe right hemisphere swelling. Multiple brain abscesses were also observed. No septic aneurysm was detected by cerebral angiography.     

Salmonella focal intracranial infections: review of the world literature (1884-1984) and report of an unusual case

Focal intracranial infections are unusual manifestations of salmonellosis. Forty-three such infections have been reported in the world literature. The clinical data for 34 well-documented cases are reviewed. Eleven patients had brain abscess, 19 had subdural empyema, three had epidural abscess, and one had both subdural empyema and brain abscess. Brain abscess occurred more often in adults; in contrast, subdural empyema presented more often in children. Fever, signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, change in mental status, seizures, and focal neurologic deficits were the commonest clinical features. Salmonella serotypes typhi, typhimurium, and enteritidis occurred most frequently. The precipitating factors of these infections included meningitis, trauma, and intracranial hematoma. Surgical drainage combined with systemic antibiotic therapy resulted in the recovery of 21 of 25 patients. A case of embryonal carcinoma plus seminoma of the testis with brain metastases complicated by a salmonella brain abscess is also reported. This is the first report in the world literature of a focal salmonella infection in a neoplastic lesion within the central nervous system.