A puzzling ovarian tumour: pregnancy luteoma with diffuse endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy luteoma is a distinctive non-neoplastic hormone dependent lesion arising in pregnancy and mimicking an ovarian tumour. Fewer than 200 cases have been described in the English-language literature. Its clinical and morphological features are characteristic and must be considered in order to prevent diagnostic misinterpretation. To the best of our knowledge the association of pregnancy luteoma with endometriosis has not been reported in literature to date. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old pregnant woman with no particular past medical history, consulted her gynaecologist at 17 weeks gestation for routine check-up. The patient was asymptomatic and did not show any signs of virilization. Ultrasonography disclosed a left adnexal heterogeneous mass measuring 7 cm in diameter with intramural vegetations. The right ovary was unremarkable. The patient underwent salpingo-oophorectomy considering the imaging findings were suspicious for malignancy. Histologically, the lesion was constituted of large sheets of luteinized polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and small round nuclei devoid of atypia and mitotic figures. In addition, there were several ectopic endometrial glands surrounded by abundant decidualized or edematous stroma. Immunohistochemically, these glands were immunoreactive for cytokeratin 7. The final pathological diagnosis was pregnancy luteoma associated with diffuse endometriosis. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its relative rarity, pregnancy luteoma is likely to be clinically misinterpreted and overtreated, as in the present case.

Jejunal lymphangioma: an unusual cause of intussusception in an adult patient.

Adult intussusception is a relatively rare clinical entity. Almost 90% of cases of intussusception in adults are secondary to a pathologic condition that serves as a lead point. Lymphangioma of the small bowel is an unusual tumour that has been rarely reported to cause intussusception. In this paper, we present a rare case of adult intussusception due to jejunal lymphangioma. A 22-year-old female patient with a medical history significant for anaemia presented with intermittent colicky abdominal pain, diarrhoea and oedema of the inferior limbs for the past three months. Ultrasonography and CT scan revealed a typical target sign with dilated intestinal loops. At laparotomy, a jejuno-jejunal intussusception was found. Partial resection of the jejunum was performed. Macroscopic examination of the surgical specimen revealed a pedunculated polyp measuring 2 cm in diameter. Histological sections of the polyp revealed in the lamina propria and submucosal layer of the jejunum several markedly dilated thin-walled lymphatic spaces lined with single layers of flat endothelial cells. The final pathologic diagnosis was submucosal lymphangioma. This case report indicates that intussusception, although rare in adults, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain. Moreover, it should be taken into consideration that lymphangioma is one of the possible lesions that can cause intussusception.

Hydatid cyst presenting as a breast lump in a male patient.

The breast is a rare primary site of hydatid disease and accounts for only 0.27% of cases. Mammary hydatidosis generally occurs in females and has never been described in male patients. In this paper, the authors report a new case of isolated hydatid cyst of the breast in a 35-year-old previously healthy man, who presented with a left breast painless lump of one year duration. Physical examination showed a non-tender and immobile mass in the upper lateral quadrant of the left breast, with normal overlying skin and nipple. There was no palpable lymph node in the left axilla and the contralateral breast was normal. Ultrasonography showed a 2.7 x 1.5 cm cystic lesion in the left breast. The patient underwent total excision of the mass, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of hydatid cyst. The authors conclude that although hydatid cyst of the breast is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of breast lumps especially in endemic areas.

Sclerosing stromal tumour of the ovary: two case reports.

Sclerosing stromal tumours are rare benign ovarian neoplasms of the sex cord stromal that occur predominantly in the second and third decades of life. Herein, we report two cases of sclerosing stromal tumour of the ovary. The two patients were 16 and 45 years old and both presented with pelvic pain. Ultrasonography demonstrated a heterogeneous solid mass of the left and right ovary, respectively, with some cystic foci in the second tumour. Laboratory tests including tumour markers and serum hormonal assays were normal in both cases. The two patients underwent left and right salpingo-oophrectomy, respectively. Microscopically, the tumours showed a pseudolobular pattern with cellular areas separated by oedematous and collagenous areas. The cellular areas were richly vascularized, with a hemangiopericytic pattern, and were composed of an admixture of theca-like and spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical studies showed that the tumour cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, inhibin and vimentin, but negative for cytokeratin. The final pathological diagnosis was sclerosing stromal tumour. Postoperative course was uneventful for both patients.

Pancreatic heterotopia of the small intestine: two case reports.

The presence of heterotopic pancreas is unusual with an estimated incidence of 0.2% of upper abdominal operations. Heterotopic pancreas occurs predominantly in the stomach, duodenum and proximal jejunum. Isolated pancreatic heterotopia of the ileum is very rare and is usually found in a Meckel's diverticulum. In most cases, these heterotopias are asymptomatic and are only incidentally detected upon pathological examination or autopsy. In this paper, the authors report two cases of pancreatic heterotopia involving, respectively, the duodenum and ileum that were fortuitously discovered on a surgical specimen and during laparotomy for unrelated causes.

Coexistence of lobular granulomatous mastitis and ductal carcinoma: a fortuitous association?

A 77-year-old female patient with a medical history significant for hypertension and epilepsy presented with right breast pain of 6-months duration. Examination revealed a hard sub-areola tender mass with irregular borders associated with mild right nipple retraction. Mammography showed a 2.2 x 2.4 cm stellate mass of the right breast. Ultrasound-guided core biopsies of the tumour were performed. Pathological examination revealed a grade II infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The patient underwent right radical mastectomy with homolateral axillary lymphadenectomy. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed grade II infiltrating ductal carcinoma concomitant with granulomatous lobular mastitis. To the best of our knowledge, the coexistence of granulomatous lobular mastitis and ductal carcinoma has been described only twice in the English language literature. The theory that chronic inflammation leads to cancer is well documented. Whether our patient had developed cancer from granulomatous lobular mastitis or otherwise is a matter of debate until more cases are encountered and more research is done in the area of breast cancer pathogenesis with regards to it arising from granulomatous lobular mastitis.

Adrenal epithelial cyst: a case report.

Epithelial-lined or true cysts of the adrenal gland are exceedingly rare accounting for only 9% of all adrenal cysts. A 55-year-old woman with a medical history for cholecystectomy and liver hydatidosis presented with an 8-month history of abdominal pain in the upper left quadrant. Physical examination was unremarkable and laboratory tests were within normal range. Computed tomography displayed a homogeneous and finely calcified cystic mass of the left adrenal gland measuring 12 x 10 cm. A hydatid cyst of the adrenal gland was suspected preoperatively and the patient underwent uneventful excision of the cyst. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed that the cyst wall was lined by cuboidal to flattened cells with bland cytologic features. Immuohistochemically, the cyst lining expressed intensely cytokeratin but was negative for CD 34 and calretinin. The final pathological diagnosis was epithelial adrenal cyst.

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis mimicking breast cancer: report of two cases.

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a rare inflammatory breast disease of unknown aetiology that is frequently mistaken for breast carcinoma both clinically and mammographically. In this paper, the authors report two cases of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis that occurred in two parous women aged 38 and 45 years. Clinically, both patients presented with a tender palpable lump in the left breast. Mammography showed an poorly-defined mass in both patients with microcalcification in the first case and skin retraction in the second case. Breast lumpectomy was performed in both patients. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed non-caseating granulomas confined to breast lobules. Special staining for fungi and tuberculosis were all negative. Correct diagnosis ofidiopathic granulomatous mastitis requires the exclusion of malignancy, other granulomatous disease and infectious aetiologies. Histopathologic examination remains the gold standard for diagnosis. This disease is rare, and therefore the optimum treatment protocol is still being established.

Pancreatic heterotopia in the gallbladder neck associated with chronic cholecystitis.

The gallbladder is an unusual location of pancreatic heterotopia defined as the presence of pancreatic tissue lacking anatomical and vascular continuity with the main body of the gland. A 55-year-old previously healthy male patient presented with repeated attacks of right hypochondriac pain and vomiting. On physical examination, the right upper abdomen was tender to palpation with a positive Murphy's sign. Abdominal ultrasonographic examination showed multiple gallstones within a thin-walled gallbladder. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed with uneventful recovery. Macroscopic examination of the surgical specimen revealed a yellowish intramural nodule measuring 7 mm close to the neck of the gallbladder. Histological examination revealed chronic cholecystitis and subserosal foci of heterotopic pancreas made up of exocrine acinar and ductal elements without islet cells corresponding to incomplete heterotopia. Heterotopic pancreas is usually detected as an incidental microscopic finding in a gallbladder specimen removed by cholecystectomy. Pre-operative diagnosis is difficult primarily due to its non-specific clinical features.

Localized ileal giant pseudopolyposis in Crohn's disease: a case report.

Localized giant pseudopolyposis is a rare complication in inflammatory bowel disease defined as a pseudopolyp (isolated or clustered) larger than 1.5 cm in size. Giant pseudopolyps are more commonly found in ulcerative colitis compared to Crohn's disease and mainly involve the left colon. A 26-year-old male patient with a two-year history of Crohn's disease was admitted with increasing abdominal pain, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss and fever. On physical examination, the abdomen was diffusely tender. Computed tomography showed diffuse irregular thickening of the ileal wall and stenosis of the terminal ileum. The patient underwent ileo-cecal resection with re-anastomosis. The ileal portion of the resected specimen harboured multiple finger-like pedunculated polyps, with the smallest measuring 0.5 cm and the largest measuring 1.8 cm. Histologically, the polyps were consistent with granulation tissue. No evidence of dysplasia or malignancy was found. The post-operative course was uneventful considering one month follow-up. This report illustrates an unusual case of giant pseudopolyposis involving the ileum in a patient with Crohn's disease. The natural history of these lesions, as well as their optimal management, remain uncertain.

Adenomatous transformation in a giant solitary Peutz-Jeghers-type hamartomatous polyp.

Solitary Peutz-Jeghers-type polyp is a rare hamartomatous polyp without associated mucocutaneous pigmentation or a family history of Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome. It is usually encountered in the small intestine, but rarely involves the rectum. A 27-year-old previously healthy female patient presented with a two-month history of rectal bleeding. The patient had neither mucocutaneous pigmentation nor a family history of gastro-intestinal polyposis. Endoscopic examination revealed a solitary lobular polypoid lesion in the lower rectum. The polyp was sessile and measured 15 cm in diameter. As histological examination of the biopsy specimen was suggestive of adenoma, endoscopic polypectomy was performed. Histologically, this polyp had an arborizing muscular network originating from the muscularis mucosa, and was covered by well organized mucosa with several foci of dysplastic glands. The final pathological diagnosis was solitary Peutz-Jeghers type hamartomatous polyp with adenomatous transformation.

Implication of the Galectin-3 in colorectal cancer development (about 325 Tunisian patients).

Galectin-3 is a specific soluble lectin of the beta-galactoside family. It plays an important role in cell adherence, proliferation, and differentiation. It has also been shown that galectin-3 expression correlates with tumor progression in several types of cancers. We investigated the involvement of galectin-3 in colorectal cancer development. We performed a comparative immunohistochemical analysis of galectin-3 expression in term of intensity and distribution in normal mucosa, in primary tumor and in metastasis from 200 patients with colorectal cancer selected among 325 cases. We also compared the galectin-3 staining according to the histological subtype (mucinous vs non mucinous), tumoral differentiation and stage of tumor. We showed a strong and diffuse positive staining of galectin-3 in both adjacent and distanced normal mucosa, in well differentiated adenocarcinoma and in metastasis. However, we note a progressive decrease of galectin-3 staining according to the decreasing degree of tumoral differentiation. We also observed a loss of this protein in adenocarcinoma with mucinous component < 50%, where the positive staining was limited only to the well differentiated areas of tumor. These data suggest that galectin-3 play an important role in colorectal cancer progression concerning the non mucinous carcinoma and can be used as a prognostic factor to predict poor outcome of patients. In mucinous subtype, galectin-3 might be implicated in one or many step of its genesis perhaps through the control of cellular adhesion and interaction with mucin produced. Adenocarcinoma with mucinous component <50% would be integrate to mucinous carcinoma, not to non mucinous ones. These investigations could open perspectives for therapeutic means targeted to improve the prognosis of this neoplasm.

[Survival and prognostic factors of colorectal adenocarcinoma: analytic multifactor review of 150 cases]. / Survie et facteurs pronostiques des adénocarcinomes colorectaux: étude analytique uni- et multifactorielle de 150 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Prognostic factors have a pivotal role in clinical oncology. They are helpful in the selection of treatment; provide insights into the disease process and the therapic response. The number of possibility useful prognosis factors in the colorectal cancer is large. This study attempts to observe the survival of colorectal adenocarcinoma and to find prognostic factors and other variables potentially associated with outcome of colorectal adenocarcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It's a retrospective study based on 150 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma from 1990 to 2002. There were 150 patients aged of 58 years (median 61 years) with 1.4 sex-ratio. 84 patients had colon adenocarcinoma and 66 patients had rectal adenocarcinoma. In histological exam the adenocarcinoma was well differenced in 69 cases (46%), and undifferentiated in 17 cases (18, 3%). RESULTS: Locoregional extension was found in 18 cases and metastatic extension in 45 cases with hepatic metastasis in 37 cases and pulmonary metastasis in 8 cases. There were 6 cases of peritoneal localized carcinosis and 6 cases of ovary metastasis. There were 6 patients (4%) Dukes stage I TNM, 61 stage II (40, 7%), 51 stage III TNM (34%) and 32 patients stage IV TNM (34%). All patients had surgical curative resection associated with adjuvant chemotherapy in 60 cases of colon adenocarcinoma and preoperative radiotherapy in 33 cases of rectal adenocarcinoma. After a follow up of 46 months, 52 patients was died (10 operative mortality), 35 patients were lost of view and 63 patients were still alive at the point date. Median survival was 20 months with 95% confidence interval: (4, 2-7, 8). Overall one year and 5 years survival were respectively 92,8% and 26,3%. Various prognostic factors had been identified through univariate (Kaplan-Meier) then multivariate (Cox) analyze. In addition to the clinical factors, we found of significant prognostic value undifferentiated adenocarcinoma and an elevated value of serum carcinoembryonic antigen>5 ng/ml.

[A patient with a diaphragmatic mass]. / A propos d'une masse diaphragmatique.

Cystic teratoma of the diaphragm is a rare, generally asymptomatic, disease. We report a case which was disclosed by the development of fever and pain in the left hypochondria. Imaging ruled out surgical emergency and led to the diagnosis, describing the relations of the tumor.