Dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the spermatic cord.

A man in his 60s presented to an outside hospital with persistent groin pain and a scrotal mass which was thought to be a recurrent hernia. Three months after initial presentation, the patient was found to have dedifferentiated liposarcoma (LPS) of the spermatic cord. LPS of the spermatic cord is a rare entity; however, clinicians should have LPS on the differential diagnosis especially in men with recurrent scrotal pain and mass. If unrecognised, LPS is associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. LPS can be subdivided into well-differentiated LPS, dedifferentiated LPS, myxoid LPS and pleomorphic LPS. In patients with advanced or metastatic LPS, chemotherapy consisting of Adriamycin, ifosfamide and mesna is used despite LPS being relatively chemoresistant. Therapies inhibiting mouse double minute 2 homologue, an oncoprotein that is a negative regulator of the tumour suppressor p53, appear to be promising in preclinical trials.

Oedema: a rare complication of plasma donation in an adolescent female.

Plasma donation has been widely used to recover medically vital components, such as immunoglobulins and clotting factors. Although generally well tolerated, there have been reports in the medical literature of reactions following blood and plasma donation. We present the first case, to our knowledge, of lower extremity oedema as the only complication noted following plasma donation in an adolescent female without underlying risk factors. Laboratory evaluation was unremarkable with the exception of decreased total serum protein. Symptoms resolved with conservative management and avoidance of plasma donation. Our case highlights the importance of screening for all sources of income in adolescents to assess for health disparities, evaluate risk factors and provide appropriate guidance.