Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the thymus with massive pleural effusion and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome: Histopathological, flow cytometrical analysis of the tumor

Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the thymus is a rare disease. We describe a patient who developed a large anterior mediastinal mass, severe thrombocytopenia and massive pleural effusion at 1 month of age. Glucocorticosteroid and irradiation therapy had no effect on either the tumor size or clinical symptoms and the tumor was resected subtotally. Three months after the subtotal resection, the remaining tumor had almost disappeared and the symptoms had resolved. The patient has now been well for 1 year after surgery without evidence of recurrence. The tumor tissue was characterized by prominent vascular endothelial proliferation intermixed with a normal thymic structure, producing a picture consistent with that of an infantile hemangioendothelioma in the thymus, lmmunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed positive staining for vimentin, factor VIII and CD34. The DNA stemline and proliferative activity were examined by flow cytometry, which revealed a diploid stemline with a low growth fraction. DNA content and cell cycle analyses of the tumor tissue may be useful for predicting the biological behavior of the tumor.     

Mastoid size and otitis media with effusion: Question of correlation

Objectives/Hypothesis: To determine the incidence of otitis media (OME) with effusion on histologic examination in temporal bones with mastoid cavities reduced by the fenestration procedure for otosclerosis. Study Design: Temporal bone histologic study. Methods: Light-microscopic examination of serially sectioned temporal bones. Results: The incidence of otitis media with effusion in temporal bones with prior fenestration operation was not any more frequent than the control group of temporal bones with surgically unaltered mastoid cavity. Conclusions: There is no increased incidence of otitis media with effusion in temporal bones with prior fenestration operation.     

双途径化疗治疗晚期肺癌并胸腔积液33例报道

目的观察双途径化疗对晚期非小细胞肺癌合并胸腔积液的疗效.方法采用胸腔穿刺、CVP管植入灌注顺铂＋地塞米松与长春瑞宾（NVB）＋顺铂（DDP）联合静脉化疗相结合的方法治疗33例肺癌.结果治疗胸腔积液的有效率为93.94%,肺部病灶治疗有效率为48.48%.结论双途径给药为临床上值得推广的方法.     

Malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade in a patient with metastatic vaginal adenocarcinoma

Malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade is a rare manifestation of metastatic gynecological cancer. A 35-year-old female was diagnosed with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina. Four years after partial vaginectomy, she developed regional recurrence and was treated with surgical excision followed by platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Six years later, the patient was diagnosed with lung metastases and received a combination adriamycin and platinum-based chemotherapy. Shortly after completing treatment, she presented with weakness and was found to be hypotensive on physical exam. Computed tomography scan confirmed a pericardial effusion with evidence of bilateral heart failure. She underwent an emergent pericardiocentesis and eventual pericardial window procedure. Metastatic adenocarcinoma of the vagina can present with malignant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade. Therefore, gynecologists and gynecological oncologists need to be familiar with the diagnosis and management of this disease process.     

Second-line (post-study) chemotherapy received by patients treated in the phase III trial of pemetrexed plus cisplatin versus cisplatin alone in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND: A phase III trial in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma demonstrated a survival advantage for pemetrexed plus cisplatin compared with single-agent cisplatin. Because post-study chemotherapy (PSC) may have influenced the outcome of the trial, we examined its use and association with survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-four patients from the pemetrexed plus cisplatin arm and 105 patients from the single-agent cisplatin arm received PSC. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were compared by treatment groups, and by PSC and non-PSC subgroups. RESULTS: The percentage of patients receiving PSC was imbalanced between the treatment arms. Fewer pemetrexed plus cisplatin treated patients received PSC (37.2% versus 47.3%). A multiple regression analysis performed in this trial showed that PSC had a statistically significant correlation with prolonged survival (P <0.01), adjusting for baseline prognostic factors and treatment intervention. The adjusted hazard ratio for PSC over non-PSC subgroups was 0.56 (confidence interval 0.44-0.72). CONCLUSIONS: PSC in malignant pleural mesothelioma was significantly associated with prolonged survival. It is not known whether the reduced risk of death was associated with PSC or whether patients who had prolonged survival tended to receive more PSC. The pemetrexed plus cisplatin treatment group had a statistically significant survival advantage even though fewer patients from that arm of the trial received PSC. The potentially beneficial role of PSC should be assessed in prospective trials.     

微卡胸膜腔注入治疗恶性胸腔积液的临床观察 5839

目的观察微卡胸膜腔内注入治疗恶性胸腔积液的效果和不良反应。方法2005年8月至2006年12月病理确诊的原发性支气管肺癌并恶性胸腔积液患者52例,胸膜腔内置入细管并接负压瓶,引流完胸腔积液后,随机分为两组,一组共27例胸腔内注入微卡225ug(微卡组);另一组共25例注入高聚生4000单位(高聚金组),观察对比两组的效果和不良反应。结果微卡组治疗效果CR6例、PR15例、NC4例、PD2例,有效率77.8%;高聚金组CR4例、PR16例、NC5例,有效率80.0%,两组的有效率无差异显著性(P>0.05)。微卡组患者80.0%(16/20),高聚金组81.2%(13/16)治疗后气促胸闷症状均有不同程度的改善甚至消失,两组比较无差异显著性(Fisher′s精确检验,P=1.00)。两组kamofsky评分治疗后比治疗前提高,微卡组平均提高(17.8±7.5)分;高聚金组(20.8±8.6)分,两组比较无差异显著性(t=1.35,P=0.183),两组均无严重不良反应事件,微卡组发热发生率33.3%,高聚生组48.0%,以低、中度发热为主,持续1～3d,经对症处理可缓解。结论微卡用于治疗恶性胸腔积液效果较好,不良反应轻微。     

Hamartochondroma Pleural Lesion Mimicking Liposarcoma: A Case Report

Heterogeneous masses developing in the pleural cavity are most often malignant and can pose diagnostic challenges. Fibrous tumors of the pleura, liposarcoma, thymoma or lipoma most frequently affect this anatomic area. Surgical exploration and resection are often mandatory to make the definitive diagnosis. We report the case of a 54-year-old women who presented with an epigastric and right sub costal pain. A complete preoperative workup revealed a large tissular and fatty mass in the right costo-diaphragmatic angle suggestive of liposarcoma. Surgical resection resulted in the surprising diagnosis of hamartochondroma.     

基于Walker256恶性胸水模型的中药甘遂量-毒-效关系研究

该文考察中药甘遂的量-毒-效关系,探讨甘遂的毒效变化特点,为临床安全合理用药提供科学依据。以恶性胸水模型为研究对象,在较大剂量范围内(甘遂0.045~1.620 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1))考察甘遂对实验动物生化指标、胸水量等的影响,并通过因子分析方法综合评价甘遂的量-毒-效关系。结果显示,模型组大鼠具有较多的胸水量,且与空白组比较,ALT,AST,LDH,HBDH,IFN-γ,IL-2,TNF-α显著升高(P0.05),TP,ALB降低(P0.05)。给药后,与模型组比较,各组可不同程度的减少胸水量,降低IFN-γ,IL-2,TNF-α,升高TP,ALB,体现出一定的治疗作用,同时引起ALT,AST,LDH,HBDH升高,体现出一定的肝、心脏毒性。通过因子分析从9个指标中抽提出2个公因子,共解释了89.1%的信息。结果表明,甘遂在《中国药典》剂量范围内单独给药没有见到明显毒性,在药典高限3倍剂量下可产生肝脏、心脏毒性,随着剂量增加,毒性增强;同时甘遂具有"峻下逐水"功效,可减少恶性胸水模型大鼠的胸水量及改善相关生理指标,且具有剂量依赖性。综合分析其毒效特点,甘遂药典高限剂量为其相对最佳治疗剂量。     

火针治疗慢性布鲁氏杆菌病引起的关节积液32例临床观察

火针治疗慢性布病引起的关节积液32例,治愈率87.5%,有效率100%。目前布病在全国范围内暴发流行,慢性患者急剧增多,研究火针治疗慢性布病意义重大,值得推广应用。     

Experimentally induced otitis media with effusion following inoculation with the outer cell wall of nontypable Haemophilus influenzae

Summary Previously, we extracted lipopolysaccaride endotoxin (LPS) from an axenic culture of Haemophilus influenzae and inoculated it into the middle ears of guinea pigs, inducing temporary serous effusions. In the present study, we tried to clarify whether the immunological mechanism responsible for producing the otitis media following outer cell wall inoculation was persistent. We extracted the outer cell wall from nontypable H. influenzae, using Zollinger's method, and inoculated extracts into the middle ears of guinea pigs that had previously received three injections of nonviable H. influenzae in Freund's complete adjuvant. Histological evaluations were performed from day 2 to day 24. Effusions and mucosal changes persisted for a longer time than in the LPS-inoculated model. Hypertrophied mucosae and increased numbers of goblet cells with hypersecretion were visible in the specimens on days 23–24. The condition seemed to show a greater similarity to chronic otitis media with effusion in children than did the LPS-inoculated model. We concluded that both the biological activity of the outer cell wall and immunological mechanisms might induce prolonged otitis media. We speculate that not only single middle ear infection but also general infections and repetitive middle ear infections may contribute to prolonged otitis media.