Access to Care and Healthcare Quality Metrics for Patients with Advanced Genitourinary Cancers in Urban versus Rural Areas.

Compared to the urban population, patients in rural areas face healthcare disparities and experience inferior healthcare-related outcomes. To compare the healthcare quality metrics and outcomes between patients with advanced genitourinary cancers from rural versus urban areas treated at a tertiary cancer hospital, in this retrospective study, eligible patients with advanced genitourinary cancers were treated at Huntsman Cancer Institute, an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Utah. Rural-urban commuting area codes were used to classify the patients' residences as being in urban (1-3) or rural (4-10) areas. The straight line distances of the patients' residences from the cancer center were also calculated and included in the analysis. The median household income data were obtained and calculated from "The Michigan Population Studies Center", based on individual zip codes. In this study, 2312 patients were screened, and 1025 eligible patients were included for further analysis (metastatic prostate cancer (n = 679), metastatic bladder cancer (n = 184), and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (n = 162). Most patients (83.9%) came from urban areas, while the remainder were from rural areas. Both groups had comparable demographic profiles and tumor characteristics at baseline. The annual median household income of urban patients was $8604 higher than that of rural patients (p < 0.001). There were fewer urban patients with Medicare (44.9% vs. 50.9%) and more urban patients with private insurance (40.4% vs. 35.1%). There was no difference between the urban and rural patients regarding receiving systemic therapies, enrollment in clinical trials, or tumor genomic profiling. The overall survival rate was not significantly different between the two populations in metastatic prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer, respectively. As available in a tertiary cancer hospital, access to care can mitigate the difference in the quality of healthcare and clinical outcomes in urban versus rural patients.

Mystery of neck lump: an uncommon presentation of urachal cancer.

We present the case of a 55-year-old male patient who presented with palpable cervical lymphadenopathy. Excisional biopsy showed metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown origin. Imaging showed a bladder mass following which he underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour. Histopathological evaluation of mass confirmed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cell features. Immunohistochemistry was suggestive of metastatic urachal cancer. He agreed for enrollment in a clinical trial, however soon after 1st cycle, he developed immune pneumonitis requiring high dose steroids. On follow-up, MRI brain was done for evaluation of headache which showed metastatic intracranial disease. He completed radiotherapy following which he was started on FOLFOX chemo regimen (folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin).

Methemoglobinemia in a Case of Paint Thinner Intoxication, Treated Successfully with Vitamin C.

BACKGROUND: Methemoglobin (MetHb) is an oxidized form of hemoglobin. It is a poor transporter of oxygen and is unable to deliver oxygen to the tissue. Globally, drug & toxin induced methemoglobinemia is more common as compared with the congenital form. Methemoglobinemia caused by paint thinner intoxication is rare. Methylene blue is well established as the first-line therapy for severe methemoglobinemia. CASE REPORT: A 25-year old man was brought to the Emergency Department after accidental consumption of paint thinner. On clinical examination, he had cyanosis and there were discrepancies in his pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis results. With this clue and supporting laboratory investigations, the diagnosis of toxin-induced methemoglobinemia was made. Due to the unavailability of methylene blue, alternative treatment with high-dose vitamin C was attempted, to which the patient responded. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: The role of vitamin C in the treatment of methemoglobinemia has not been well established, with only a few published case reports. This patient had severe methemoglobinemia, with MetHb of 46.4%, which responded dramatically to vitamin C therapy, with no side effects. This case shows that high-dose vitamin C is safe and has the potential to be an effective alternative for the treatment of severe methemoglobinemia. In the presence of cyanosis, mismatch of pulse-oximetry and ABG-analysis are the key for the physician to suspect methemoglobinemia.

Fanconi Syndrome: A Rare Initial Presentation of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

A-14-year old boy, presented with a short history of excessive thirst and increased urine output. Clinical examination showed pallor, generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. For evaluation of his polyuric state he underwent routine laboratory investigations, including renal function test, acid-base studies, urine analysis. Blood tests suggested hypokalemia, hypouricemia, hypocalcemia and hyperchloremia with normal liver and kidney function tests. The arterial blood gas analysis was suggestive of normal anion gap metabolic acidosis. Urine analysis was suggestive of hyperuricosuria, hypercalciuria and glycosuria with a positive urine anion gap. His hemogram showed pancytopenia with differential count showing 88% blasts. Bone marrow examination and flowcytometry confirmed the diagnosis of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Hence this case was atypical and very interesting in the sense that the Fanconi syndrome is very rare to be an initial presenting feature of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The patient was started on oral as well intravenous supplementation with potassium, bicarbonate, calcium and phosphorus. Simultaneously, as per the modified BFM -90 protocol (four drug based regimen-Prednisolone, vincristine, daunorubicin, cyclophosphamide along with l-asparaginase), he was started on induction protocol. By the end of 3rd week of induction therapy, his urine output started normalizing and finally settled at the end of induction therapy. At present he is in the maintenance phase of chemotherapy.