Challenges in treating coexisting scrotal apocrine carcinoma and gastric cancer: insights from an elderly patient: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Apocrine carcinoma associated with Paget's disease is a rare malignancy that typically manifests in elderly individuals, predominantly affecting the geriatric population. It commonly arises in regions rich in apocrine glands and often exhibits an insidious onset, potentially requiring several years to be diagnosed. CASE PRESENTATION: An 80-year-old male was simultaneously diagnosed with scrotal apocrine carcinoma (showing Paget changes) and early-stage gastric cancer. Whole-genome exome sequencing confirmed these as independent malignancies with minimal genetic overlap, indicating that they were two primary tumors. The patient initially underwent successful surgery but experienced recurrence and metastasis. Treatment with capecitabine and paclitaxel showed promising responses, highlighting similarities between breast and apocrine carcinomas. Challenges were noted in the use of genetic testing and drug susceptibility assessments for treatment guidance. Notably, HER-2 expression in metastatic lesions, a trait of apocrine carcinoma, has remained unexplored due to negative HER-2 FISH results and a lack of available targeted therapies in China. CONCLUSION: Elderly patients often exhibit a lesser degree of aggressiveness toward treatment following a diagnosis of malignant tumors. It is imperative to carefully consider how to strike a balance between effective treatment and maintaining a satisfactory quality of life for these patients. This case underscores the complexity of treating coexisting rare cancers in older adults and emphasizes the need for personalized treatments and continued innovation in cancer therapy. The insights gained offer significant value in understanding and managing such rare cancer cases.

Excessive collagen fiber deposition in idiopathic scrotal calcinosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic scrotal calcinosis (ISC) is a manifestation of idiopathic calcinosis cutis, and its etiology is still unknown. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 36-year-old patient manifested multiple gradually increasing yellowish-white scrotal nodules with occasional itching and stinging in the past 6 years and was successfully cured via surgical excision. The laboratory test combined with pathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of ISC. Like pathological calcinosis in other soft tissues, a large amount of collagen fiber deposition was observed around the calcification nodule, suggesting that abnormal collagen fiber deposition might be an important factor leading to idiopathic calcinosis in the scrotum. Moreover, koilocytes, which indicate human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, were also detected around calcified nodules, indicating the potential pathogenic role of HPV infection in ISC. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we report that ISC shows abnormal excessive deposition of collagen fibers around calcified nodules, which may be a vital factor contributing to the disease. Furthermore, combined with the literature review, a new pathogenic mechanism of ISC is proposed, and the site specificity of scrotal calcinosis is explained, providing a basis for further exploration of the pathogenic mechanism of ISC.

Penile and Scrotal Porokeratosis: A Single-Institution Experience.

ABSTRACT: There is a paucity of data regarding porokeratosis confined to the penis and scrotum. We evaluated our single-institutional experience regarding this entity. We interrogated our pathology archive for all specimens from the penis or scrotum, signed out as porokeratosis between 2000 and 2022. Clinical and histopathological features were reviewed, including the number of cornoid lamella(e) per tissue profile and squamous dysplasia. Nine patients were included in the study. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 51 years. Multiple lesions were present in 3 patients. Six patients had exclusively penile involvement, whereas 2 patients had exclusively scrotal involvement. One patient had multiple lesions consistent with porokeratosis ptychotropica, extending from the scrotum to the buttocks and perineum. Clinically, a collarette of scale was noted in 3 patients and diagnosis of porokeratosis was considered in 1 patient before biopsy. Histopathologically, 2 patients exhibited multiple cornoid lamellae in the same profile and 1 patient had follicular cornoid lamellae. Focal squamous dysplasia was only present in 1 patient. Follow-up was available for 5 patients (median duration: 35 months). In 4 patients, the lesions were removed completely during the shave biopsy procedure. At the past follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence or malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma in any patient. Porokeratosis involving the penis and/or scrotum may be elusive to diagnosis based on clinical features alone, emphasizing the role of histopathological examination. Increased awareness of this entity may help better delineate its clinicopathological presentation and appropriate classification.

Scrotoliths in the testicular tunica vaginalis in an elderly male cadaver: clinical implications.

Scrotoliths, or "scrotal pearls," are calcified fibrous loose bodies found within the tunica vaginalis, often seen during radiological evaluation or autopsies. Chronic inflammation due to trauma, parasitic infestations, and torsion and subsequent detachment of the appendices of the testis or epididymis are postulated mechanisms suggested for their formation. They are benign but can mimic a tumor. Scrotoliths can be diagnosed with high-resolution ultrasonography. Here, we report a case in which, during routine dissection, two scrotoliths were found within the tunica vaginalis of the left testis in an elderly male cadaver. Histologically, the central portion of the scrotoliths exhibited concentric collagen lamellae that enclosed calcified remains of tissue debris. There were no arterioles, venules, or microfilarial larvae seen within them. Awareness about the histological findings can help understand the mechanism that led to their formation.

Local Cutaneous Scrotal Involvement of Paratesticular Mesothelioma.

ABSTRACT: Paratesticular mesothelioma (malignant mesothelioma arising from the tunica vaginalis of the testis) represents a small proportion of mesothelial neoplasms, and cutaneous involvement by paratesticular mesothelioma is very rare. Cutaneous involvement can manifest as scrotal subcutaneous nodules from regional spread, distant metastasis, or direct extension through surgical scars. Mesothelioma has 3 histopathologic classifications that include epithelioid, biphasic, and sarcomatoid, which is rarely seen in paratesticular mesothelioma. Given the rarity of this condition, cutaneous mesothelioma may be misdiagnosed as histologic mimics, such as metastatic adenocarcinoma or adnexal neoplasms; thus, appropriate immunohistochemical workup and clinical correlation are required to make an accurate diagnosis. In this case, a 75-year-old man with a history of paratesticular mesothelioma, status postorchiectomy, presented with right-sided scrotal swelling, erythema, and subcutaneous nodules. These nodules were identified as local recurrence with cutaneous involvement by paratesticular mesothelioma on histopathologic examination. This case highlights the clinical and histopathologic features of this diagnosis and underscores the importance of dermatopathologists being aware of this condition to ensure accurate diagnosis.

Solitary Acute Necrotic Scrotal Ulcer in a Young Patient.

A healthy young male patient was referred to the department of dermatology for evaluation of a solitary painful scrotal ulceration that developed rapidly 48 hours before consultation. What is your diagnosis?

[Pedunculated Giant Condyloma Acuminatum of the Scrotum].

The patient was a 71-year-old male whose chief complaint was a scrotum mass. The mass had gradually increased in size without any associated symptoms. The physical examination revealed a pedunculated, radish brown, and elastic soft tumor (4. 5×3. 5×3. 0 cm) in the right scrotum. Blood chemical analysis of HbA1c and squamous carcinoma antigen were 8. 3% and 38. 4 ng/ml (≦1. 5), respectively. This tumor was successfully treated with surgical resection. Histopathological examination showed condyloma acuminatum without malignant findings. Giant condyloma acuminatum commonly affects the genital and perianal areas. An immunocompromised state generally exists in the background of the patients.

The downregulation of genes encoding muscle proteins have a potential role in the development of scrotal hernia in pigs.

BACKGROUND: Testicular descent is a physiological process regulated by many factors. Eventually, disturbances in the embryological/fetal development path facilitate the occurrence of scrotal hernia, a congenital malformation characterized by the presence of intestinal portions within the scrotal sac due to the abnormal expansion of the inguinal ring. In pigs, some genes have been related to this anomaly, but the genetic mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the expression profile of a set of genes potentially involved with the manifestation of scrotal hernia in the inguinal ring tissue. METHODS AND RESULTS: Tissue samples from the inguinal ring/canal of normal and scrotal hernia-affected male pigs with approximately 30 days of age were used. Relative expression analysis was performed using qPCR to confirm the expression profile of 17 candidate genes previously identified in an RNA-Seq study. Among them, the Myosin heavy chain 1 (MYH1), Desmin (DES), and Troponin 1 (TNNI1) genes were differentially expressed between groups and had reduced levels of expression in the affected animals. These genes encode proteins involved in the formation of muscle tissue, which seems to be important for increasing the resistance of the inguinal ring to the abdominal pressure, which is essential to avoid the occurrence of scrotal hernia. CONCLUSIONS: The downregulation of muscular candidate genes in the inguinal tissue clarifies the genetic mechanisms involved with this anomaly in its primary site, providing useful information for developing strategies to control this malformation in pigs and other mammals.

Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumour: a rare cause of an intrascrotal mass.

This report describes a boy in his early adolescence who was referred to a urologist with a large, painless right scrotal mass. Following a thorough workup, the patient underwent surgical removal of the mass, which was revealed to be a paratesticular fibrous pseudotumour (PFP) on histopathological analysis. This diagnosis is rare and can often prove difficult to distinguish from a malignant lesion within the scrotum. We have conducted a review of the current literature surrounding PFP to compliment the case discussion.

[Well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumour of the tunica vaginalis: A case report].

The mesothelium, which consists of a monolayer of mesothelial cells, extends over the surface of the serosal cavities (pleura, pericardium, peritoneum and tunica vaginalis). Mesothelial tumours of the tunica vaginalis is rare compared with those arise from pleura or peritoneum. According to World Health Organization 2022 Classification of Urinary and Male Genital Tumours (5th edition), mesothelial tumours of the tunica vaginalis were categorized into adenomatoid tumour, well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumour (WDPMT) and mesothelioma. Since WDPMT of tunica vaginalis was rare, there was no consensus concerning the treatment of it. In this case report, a 29-year-old man who had endured intermittent right scrotal pain for 8 months, aggravating scrotal pain for 2 weeks was admitted. No symptoms, such as frequent, urgent, or painful urination were shown. Physical examination revealed the enlargement and tenderness of right scrotum, with no signs of lifting pain. The most recent scrotal ultrasonography before surgery revealed right hydrocele with maximum depth of 4 centimeters and poor blood flow of right testis. Under the circumstance of patient' s chronic history of testicular hydrocele, he underwent an emergency operation of right scrotal exploration and hydrocelectomy under epidural anesthesia. After opening the vagina tunic cavity, spot-like bleeding was observed on the right testicle, epididymis and vaginalis surface. The vaginalis was obviously thickened and the inner and outer walls were smooth. The post-operative histopathology revealed a grayish-brown tissue with a thickness of 0.3-0.5 cm, smooth inner and outer walls, and a suspected WDPMT with a diameter of 1. 5 cm. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive for Calretinin, BAP1, WT-1, CK5/6, D2-40 and P16，which confirmed the diagnosis of WDPMT. To sum up, the purpose of this case report was to raise awareness of a rare disease WDPMT, which was usually asymptomatic and could be diagnosed by pathology and immunohistochemistry. The disease should be differentiated from testicular torsion, epididymitis, orchitis and oblique inguinal hernia in symptoms, and from malignant mesothelioma and adenomatoid tumour in pathology. Because of the rarity of the cases, there was no unified standard for the treatment of WDPMT at present. The common treatment methods reported in literature included orchidectomy and vaginectomy. Due to the lack of understanding of this disease, postoperative follow-up was still recommended for at least 5 years.

Case report: Disitamab vedotin combined with immunotherapy demonstrated excellent efficacy in scrotal Paget's disease with Her-2 overexpression.

Background: Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare epithelial malignancy, and approximately 30%-40% of EMPD patients overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2). Currently, there are no established standard treatments for advanced EMPD while anti-Her-2 therapy is recommended for Her-2-positive cases. Case presentation: Here, we report a 51-year-old male diagnosed with advanced Her-2-positive EMPD, presenting with numerous lymph node metastases. This patient received disitamab vedotin (an antibody-drug conjugate, targeting Her-2) combined with serplulimab as first-line treatment. After seven cycles of combination therapy, the patient tolerated the treatment well and the lymph node lesions continued to shrink. However, the patient developed immunotherapy-related pneumonia following the eighth treatment. Hormone therapy was administered while all the anti-tumor therapies were halted. After the pneumonia improved, the patient underwent positron emission tomography-computed tomography, revealing a complete response to his tumor. To consolidate the effect, he received another five cycles of disitamab vedotin monotherapy as maintenance therapy, without experiencing any adverse events. To date, the patient has remained in good health without any recurrence 10 months after drug discontinuance. Conclusion: Disitamab vedotin combined with immunotherapy demonstrated a long-term clinical benefit in advanced Her-2-positive EMPD. For rare solid tumors with Her-2 overexpression, disitamab vedotin combined with immunotherapy might offer a viable therapeutic choice.