Desmoid Tumor Arising at the Colostomy Site After Abdominoperineal Resection for Rectal Carcinoma: Report of a Case

A 69-year-old male who developed a desmoid tumor at the site of his end colostomy after abdominoperineal resection for rectal carcinoma is reported. The tumor was resected with wide margins. Histopathology revealed desmoid tumor of the anterior abdominal wall with no malignant features. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. To our knowledge, this is the first case of solitary desmoid tumor of anterior abdominal wall at the colostomy site reported in the literature.     

Increased sister chromatid exchange frequency in young women with breast cancer and in their first-degree relatives

The well-known increased risk of breast cancer (BC) in first-degree relatives of patients with BC has been related to shared genetic factors including defective DNA repair, with loss of genomic integrity. On the other hand, it can be hypothesized that early-onset breast cancer is also associated with overburden of heritable factors leading to increased DNA injury. In this respect, we analyzed sister chromatid exchange frequency (SCE) in 20 women with breast cancer (all < or =40 years old), in their first-degree female relatives, and in 20 age-matched healthy females without a personal or family history of cancer. SCE was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in patients (7.17 +/- 1.81 per metaphase) and in their first-degree relatives (6.44 +/- 0.98), compared with controls (5.85 +/- 0.72). There was no difference in SCE frequency between patients and their first-degree relatives. We suggest that the increased SCE in patients reflects a genomic instability that may be operative in carcinogenesis. Further, genomic instability is shared also by first-degree relatives, although none of them had a history of breast cancer at the time of the study.     

Cases of glioblastoma multiforme metastasizing to spinal cord

Cases of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) metastasizing to the leptomeninx or the intramedullary spine are quite rare and prognoses are relatively poor. We present three cases of GBM with spinal metastasis, one of which also had leptomeningeal dissemination. Three patients with GBM were admitted to our clinic for postoperative radiotherapy after surgery. Leptomeningeal metastasis and dissemination were diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging. Radiotherapy provided only temporary relief from pain with small improvement in neurological deficit but no survival advantage.     

Giant hydronephrosis due to ureteropelvic junction obstruction in a child: CT and MR appearances

Giant hydronephrosis caused by congenital ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction is a rare urological entity in childhood. We report a case of giant hydronephrosis in a 12-year-old boy presented with abdominal distension. Radiological features of this rare entity are discussed with an overview of sonographic findings, especially including CT and MR appearances. The current literature is also reviewed.