Extraregional lymph node recurrence of stage IA1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix after initial surgery: two case studies.

Objective: Lymph node recurrence is extremely rare in cases of stage IA1 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix without lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI). We present two cases of extraregional lymph node recurrence after initial surgery for stage IA1 SCC of the uterine cervix without LVSI. Patients: Both patients initially underwent hysterectomy and developed recurrent extraregional lymph nodes within a few years postoperatively. Case 1: The patient showed no symptoms of recurrence, and follow-up computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of gallstones revealed a para-aortic lymph node (9 mm). The patient subsequently underwent serum SCC antigen testing and CT and was diagnosed with recurrence. Case 2: The patient noticed a right inguinal node swelling, which was evaluated using CT. Both patients survived without relapse for 8 and 4 years, respectively. Conclusion: Although stage IA1 SCC of the uterine cervix without LVSI is associated with a low risk of lymph node recurrence, oncologists should consider the possibility of recurrence in such cases. Evaluation for recurrence is difficult in asymptomatic patients. Serum SCC antigen testing may be a useful biochemical marker before imaging for early detection of recurrence, even in asymptomatic patients.

Type AB thymoma accompanied by pure red cell aplasia and Good syndrome with CMV infection of tumor cells.

Reported herein is a case of type AB thymoma accompanied by pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) and Good syndrome. The patient was a 55-year-old woman who was found to be anemic and to have an abnormal shadow at the left pulmonary hilus on routine medical examination. Bone marrow aspiration was performed and she was diagnosed as having PRCA. She also had hypogammaglobulinemia. The anemia was temporarily cured with oral prednisolone and cyclosporin A, and the patient underwent total thymectomy. The tumor was type AB thymoma, composed mainly of type A components; widespread spindle cell components showed slight to moderate infiltration of immature T-cells. In addition, CMV inclusion bodies were scattered throughout this tumor. The CMV-infected cells were tumor cells, because they were positive for pancytokeratin and negative for CD34. Several cases of Good syndrome with widespread CMV infection have been reported, but it is extremely rare for CMV-inclusion bodies to be found in tumor cells. No thymoma cases involving CMV infection of tumor cells have been reported.

[Massive pulmonary thromboembolism found at autopsy in a patient with a 14-year history of polymyositis-associated nonspecific interstitial pneumonia].

A 64-year-old woman with a 14-year history of refractory nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) associated with polymyositis was admitted urgently to our hospital due to acute exacerbation of dyspnea. The first episode of dyspnea had occurred 14 years earlier and the diagnosis of cellular and fibrotic NSIP had been made by radiographic examinations and open lung biopsy. Her NSIP initially responded well to high-dose prednisolone therapy (40mg/day), but flared when the dose of prednisolone was tapered. Three years after the diagnosis of NSIP, a diagnosis of polymyositis was made based on her elevated serum level of creatinine phosphokinase and muscle biopsy findings. Her polymyositis was controlled well by prednisolone therapy, but her NSIP gradually worsened, despite treatment with several courses of methylprednisolone pulse therapy and immunosuppressive agents. She was brought to our hospital by ambulance due to acute progression of dyspnea and was admitted. Chest X-ray film revealed diffuse interstitial shadows and marked enlargement of the right atrium and bilateral pulmonary arteries. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed severe dilatation of the right atrium and right ventricle with an estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure of 84mmHg. She died of progressive respiratory failure on day 4 of hospitalization. Autopsy revealed massive thrombi that completely obstructed the bilateral pulmonary trunks. Histological examination revealed that these thrombi were organized, and her interstitial lung disease (ILD) was specified as fibrotic NSIP with microscopic honeycomb. Massive pulmonary thromboembolism is extremely rare in patients with polymyositis-associated NSIP, but it should be considered as a possible cause of acute exacerbation of respiratory failure. This case provides valuable information on the clinical and pathological course of polymyositis-associated NSIP.

[Neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy with nedaplatin, peplomycin and mitomycin C for advanced cervical cancer].

The aim of the present study was to examine the usefulness of neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy (NAC) using nedaplatin as key drug to improve the prognosis in case of advanced cervical cancer. Twenty-five cases of advanced cervical cancer (15 cases of stage II with high risks, 10 of stage III, referred to as the 254-S group) treated by NAC using nedaplatin, mitomycin C and peplomycin were compared with 30 cases (22 cases of stage II with high risks, 8 of stage III, referred to as the CDDP group) treated using cisplatin and mitomycin C which is the conventional regimen, in terms of measurable response, pathological response, rate of lymph node metastasis, cumulative survival rate, side effects and relapse style. According to the evaluation by measurable responses, the response rate was 90% (CR 52%) in the 254-S group and 75% (CR 15%) in the CDDP group. For pathological response of the specimen, the CR rate was 16% in the 254-S group and 23% in the CDDP group. The rate of lymph node metastasis extracted surgically was 33% and 41%, respectively. The cumulative survival rate in the 254-S group was about 10% better than in the CDDP group, but no significant difference was found. Leucopenia of both groups was of the same grade. In the 254-S group, although thrombocytopenia was more critical than in the CDDP group, there was a slight tendency to kidney toxicity. The locoregional recurrence rate was 12% in the 254-S group and 30% in the CDDP group. The distant metastasis rate was 16% and 27%, respectively. Although neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy using nedaplatin as a key drug was useful to improve the prognosis of advanced cervical cancer, measures against recurrence outside the pelvis and individualization of medical treatment were considered to lead to a further improvement of the prognosis.