Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome after Lenvatinib Therapy in a Patient with Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a rare reversible neurological syndrome that causes subcortical vasogenic brain edema and which is associated with the use of target-specific agents. Lenvatinib is a target-specific agent that was recently approved for inoperable thyroid cancer. We herein describe the case of a 66-year-old woman with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) who was treated with lenvatinib and who subsequently developed PRES. The clinical and radiological findings improved after suspending therapy for 1 week, and there was no recurrence with intermittent lower-dose lenvatinib treatment. Lenvatinib may prolong survival in patients with ATC and can be administered intermittently, even after PRES onset.

The Use of External-beam Radiotherapy for Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer in Elderly or Medically-fragile Patients.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical results of external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in elderly or medically-fragile patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients with MIBC (cT2-4N0-1M0) receiving EBRT were retrospectively analyzed. Their median age was 82 years. Radiotherapy median dose was 60 Gy administered in 30 fractions. RESULTS: Median follow-up period was 14.7 months. Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 14.7 months and 7.8 months, respectively. The OS, cause-specific survival (CSS), and PFS rates at 1-year were 56.0%, 68.5%, and 40.0%, respectively. The local progression-free rates (LPFR) at 6 months and 1 year were 89.3% and 59.5%, respectively. Performance status 3 was a significantly unfavorable factor for OS, CSS, and progression-free survival; clinical N stage was a significantly unfavorable factor for progression-free survival; and lower irradiation dose (≤50.4 Gy) was a significantly unfavorable factor for LPFR. CONCLUSION: EBRT for elderly or medically-fragile patients is feasible, and achieves acceptable local progression-free status.

Two adult cases of extralobar pulmonary sequestration: A non-complicated case and a necrotic case with torsion.

BACKGROUND: This case report describes two cases of extralobar pulmonary sequestration in adults with and without torsion/necrosis. CASE REPORTS: Non-complicated extralobar pulmonary sequestration was found incidentally in a 50-year-old asymptomatic woman (Case 1), diagnosed with the presence of a branching structure in a mass lesion and blood supply from the right inferior phrenic artery. Another case of a 38-year-old woman presented with a sudden onset of back pain caused by extralobar pulmonary sequestration with torsion/necrosis (Case 2). A 4-cm fusiform mass in the paravertebral region showed enhancement in the peripheral rim only, and no feeding artery. These were the same as it had been reported typical findings in extralobar pulmonary sequestration with necrosis. On magnetic resonance imaging, the masses in both cases showed inhomogeneous low signal and branching high signal on T2-weighted images. That was characteristic for a stroma without dilated alveoli as a solid part and dilated alveoli as fluid regions. CONCLUSIONS: By comparing those two cases, we came to a conclusion that only T2-weighted imaging reflects the native structure, even after infarction. Although differentiation from a cystic tumor with hemorrhage or infection can be problematic, inhomogeneous low signal and branching high signal on T2-weighted images may help us distinguish extralobar pulmonary sequestration from other cystic lesions.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for bleeding from bile duct tumor thrombi of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma usually invades the portal vein, forming tumor thrombi. Invasion of the bile duct, i.e., intrabile tumor growth or bile duct tumor thrombi is rare. Patients with bile duct tumor thrombi present with obstructive jaundice, abdominal pain or hemobilia. Hemobilia due to bile duct tumor thrombi is sometimes massive and fatal. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transcatheter arterial embolization for hemobilia caused by bile duct tumor thrombi of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODOLOGY: Between 1993 January and 2000 December, transcatheter arterial embolization was performed in 4 patients with hemobilia and gastrointestinal bleeding from bile duct tumor thrombi of hepatocellular carcinoma. RESULTS: In all 4 patients, transcatheter arterial embolization was successfully performed and resulted in cessation of bleeding. One patient had recurrent hemobilia, which was controlled by another transcatheter arterial embolization. Three patients were discharged from hospital after transcatheter arterial embolization. Patients died of hepatic failure or multiple tumors 5 to 7 months after the onset of hemobilia, although hemobilia had been fully controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter arterial embolization seemed to be effective for the control of massive hemobilia caused by bile duct tumor thrombi associated with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transcatheter microcoil embolotherapy for ruptured pseudoaneurysm following pancreatic and biliary surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of transcatheter microcoil embolotherapy for bleeding pseudoaneurysms complicating major pancreatic and biliary surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over an 8-year period, 8 patients were encountered who developed massive bleeding from pseudoaneurysms 15-64 days (mean 31 days) following major pancreatic and biliary surgery. Urgent transcatheter microcoil embolotherapy was performed in all 8 patients. RESULTS: Transcatheter embolotherapy was successful in 7 of 8 patients (88%) but failed in one due to development of disseminated intravascular coagulation. One patient developed recurrent bleeding 36 days after the first embolotherapy from a newly developed pseudoaneurysm, which was again treated successfully with embolization. Two patients subsequently underwent additional surgery for residual pathology. Three of the 7 patients with successful embolotherapy were alive at 10-96 months, 4 patients died of associated malignancies 4-20 months after embolotherapy. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter microcoil embolotherapy is effective for bleeding pseudoaneurysms complicating pancreatic and biliary surgery, and should be considered the first treatment of choice.