Molecular Spectra and Frequency Patterns of Somatic Mutations in Arab Women with Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of somatic mutations in breast cancer prognosis and management continues to be recognized. However, data on the molecular profiles of Arab women are limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on medical chart review of all Arab women diagnosed with breast cancer at a single institution between 2010 and 2018 who underwent next-generation sequencing with Ampliseq 46-Gene or 50-Gene. RESULTS: A total of 78 Arab women were identified, with a median age at diagnosis of 52.3 years (range: 37-82 years; 38.5% ≤50 years). The majority of patients had stage III or IV disease (74.4%). Next-generation sequencing revealed the following somatic mutation rates: TP53, 23.1%; ATM, 2.6%; IDH1, 2.6%; IDH2, 3.8%; PTEN, 7.7%; PIK3CA, 15.4%; APC, 7.7%; NPM1, 2.5%; MPL, 1.3%; JAK2, 2.5%; KIT, 7.7%; KRAS, 3.8%; and NRAS, 3.8%. CONCLUSION: Our study illustrates frequencies of somatic mutations in Arab women with breast cancer and suggests potential variations from estimates reported in the Western population. These data calls for larger epidemiologic studies considering the evolving role of such mutations in prognostication and personalized management.

Massive Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage as an Initial Presentation of a Rare and Aggressive Form of Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma, a plasma cell neoplasm, presents most commonly with anemia, hypercalcemia, renal failure, and bone pain. Only few cases of clinical aggressive presentation associated with bleeding were reported in the medical literature. The reported cases included gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiac tamponade. Spontaneous retroperitoneal haemorrhage as initial presentation has not been so far reported. We hereby report a case of a 64-year-old female who was found to have catastrophic hemorrhage in the retroperitoneal region that extended into intrathecal space causing cord compression. The case posed a significant diagnostic and management dilemma. This case emphasizes the need to think broadly and include multiple myeloma in the diagnosis of unexplained massive retroperitoneal bleeding.

Herpes zoster encephalopathy or acyclovir neurotoxicity: a management dilemma.

This is a case report of a 69-year-old morbidly obese woman who presented with mental status changes after she was treated with acyclovir for shingles. The predominant symptoms were word-finding difficulties and visual hallucinations. Complicating her presentation was acyclovir-induced acute renal injury causing her creatinine level to rise up to 7.4 mg/dL. Acyclovir was discontinued on the suspicion of acyclovir neurotoxicity. Even though PCR for varicella zoster virus in the cerebrospinal fluid was positive, acyclovir was not restarted and the patient continued to improve and returned to her baseline.