Thyroid function alters during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: results from the NEOZOTAC trial (BOOG 2010-01).

This side study investigated the effect of chemotherapy on thyroid function and the extent to which it can predict pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with early breast cancer taking part in NEOZOTAC phase III trial, randomizing between neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without additional zoledronic acid. Moreover, we examined the impact of thyroid function on toxicity. Serum samples of 38 patients were available for analyses. Free thyroxin (fT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were compared between baseline and before the 6th cycle and between subjects with and without pCR. The relation between toxicity and the variation in fT4 and TSH levels during chemotherapy was tested. Samples at baseline and before the 6th cycle were available for 31 and 21 patients, respectively. The mean baseline fT4 level was 16.0 pmol/L and TSH level 1.11 mU/L, and these did not differ between both arms at each time point. During six cycles of chemotherapy, fT4 levels decreased (p = 0.0001), and TSH levels increased significantly (p = 0.019). Interestingly, the decrease of fT4 was significantly greater in patients without nausea, vomiting, or neuropathy, than in patients with those side effects (p = 0.037, p = 0.043, and p = 0.050, respectively). Baseline TSH levels tended to be higher in patients with pCR (p = 0.035 univariate analysis and p = 0.074 multivariate analysis). Chemotherapy blunts thyroid function, which was associated with less side effects. These data urge further evaluation of the effects of thyroid function on toxicity and outcome of breast cancer therapy.

[Acute dyspnoea following transfusion of plasma-containing blood products]. / Acute kortademigheid na transfusie van plasmabevattende bloedproducten.

A 35-year-old male patient who was given chemotherapy because of chronic myeloid leukaemia became dyspnoeic after transfusion of thrombocytes; initially, no explanation could be found for this dyspnoea. He went home before all diagnostic procedures were evaluated. Chest X-ray revealed bilateral pulmonary oedema, which could be due to transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), especially since there were no indications for a cardiac aetiology. The patient was sent to the nearest hospital where he was treated with diuretics and observed for 24 hours. There were no complications. The pathogenesis of TRALI has been attributed to an interaction between anti-granulocyte antibodies and granulocytes. In addition, bioactive compounds produced during the storage of blood products have been implicated. It is important to recognize TRALI as the cause of dyspnoea when cardiac or pulmonary causes are excluded. The overall prognosis is good when treatment is started in time. The management of TRALI is supportive, with mechanical ventilation when necessary. After excluding donors with proven anti-granulocyte antibodies from further donation, there is no increased risk for recurrent episodes after future transfusion of plasma-containing blood products.

Nodular fasciitis: an unexpected finding on computed tomography and positron emission tomography.

Nodular fasciitis is an uncommon lesion that is also designated as a pseudosarcomatous, self-limiting reactive process. We describe a 40-year-old woman with a nodular fasciitis that was detected by computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18-FDG), and histology while she was being examined for upper abdominal pain.