Intrahepatic renal cell carcinoma implantation along a percutaneous biopsy and cryoablation probe tract.

A man in his 60s underwent percutaneous biopsy and cryoablation of a right upper pole clear cell renal cell carcinoma followed by repeat cryoablation 8 months later for possible residual disease. The patient was followed with imaging with documented stability for 19 months after repeat ablation. However, imaging at 32 months demonstrated intrahepatic nodular enhancing lesions along the initial percutaneous biopsy and ablation tract, consistent with metastatic implantation. The patient underwent repeat percutaneous biopsy and two rounds of microwave ablation for treatment of the intrahepatic implants, with no residual disease at 10 months postablation. While needle tract seeding is a known complication of percutaneous manipulation of various abdominopelvic malignancies, there have been no prior reports of intrahepatic metastatic implants related to percutaneous renal cell carcinoma ablation. Awareness of this potential complication is important for treatment planning, informed consent and surveillance. This report shares our experience of the management of intrahepatic metastatic implants.

Genome-resolved metagenomics and metatranscriptomics reveal niche differentiation in functionally redundant microbial communities at deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

The structure and function of microbial communities inhabiting the subseafloor near hydrothermal systems are influenced by fluid geochemistry, geologic setting and fluid flux between vent sites, as well as biological interactions. Here, we used genome-resolved metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to examine patterns of gene abundance and expression and assess potential niche differentiation in microbial communities in venting fluids from hydrothermal vent sites at the Mid-Cayman Rise. We observed similar patterns in gene and transcript abundance between two geochemically distinct vent fields at the community level but found that each vent site harbours a distinct microbial community with differing transcript abundances for individual microbial populations. Through an analysis of metabolic pathways in 64 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), we show that MAG transcript abundance can be tied to differences in metabolic pathways and to potential metabolic interactions between microbial populations, allowing for niche-partitioning and divergence in both population distribution and activity. Our results illustrate that most microbial populations have a restricted distribution within the seafloor, and that the activity of those microbial populations is tied to both genome content and abiotic factors.