Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast with squamous differentiation: prognostic factors and multidisciplinary treatment.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of patients diagnosed with metaplastic carcinoma of the breast with squamous differentiation and to identify the particular clinical and histological characteristics that need to be taken into account in this type of tumors. CASE PRESENTATION: Retrospective observational study of two patients managed at our hospital between 2014 and 2020 (15 months mean follow-up), plus all cases published in the last 7 years (8 patients). Thus, a total of 10 cases were analyzed, all with less than 2 years mean global survival. Studied variables were: age, medical background, tumor size, axillary involvement, radiological characteristics, surgical approach, complementary treatments, histologic characteristics, and progression of the disease. In 50% of cases, the disease appeared as a palpable mass of rapid growth, associated with axillary infiltration; 80% of the tumors were triple negative; 30% of them progressed to distant metastatic disease in 30%. CONCLUSIONS: This unusual carcinoma requires a complex multidisciplinary treatment. Its prognosis is unfavorable due to its high local aggressiveness, with rapid progression and appearance of metastatic disease. The predominance of different histological components may determine the response to medical treatments.

Post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 axillary adenopathy. Differences with axillary metastases from breast cancer.

The differential diagnosis of the metastatic axillary lymphadenopathies of breast cancer with which they occur secondary to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19, is imperative. In a series of cases, we analyzed the characteristics of unilateral axillary lymphadenopathy in patients after Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination. Axillary lymphadenopathy were observed ipsilateral to the vaccination arm. The axillary ultrasound defined these as reactive and that they disappeared in 3 weeks. The pathological findings were benign. The anamnesis, the place and date of vaccination and the radiological findings, play an essential role to carry out a correct differential diagnosis and follow-up of these adenopathies.

El diagnóstico diferencial de las adenopatías axilares metastásicas del cáncer de mama con las que se producen secundarias a la vacuna de Pfizer-BioNTech contra la COVID-19 es imperioso. Analizamos una serie de casos con las características de las adenopatías axilares unilaterales tras la administración de la vacuna de Pfizer-BioNTech. Se observaron adenopatías axilares homolaterales al brazo de vacunación. La ecografía axilar las definió como reactivas y que desaparecían en 3 semanas. Los hallazgos anatomopatológicos fueron de benignidad. La anamnesis, el lugar y la fecha de vacunación, así como los hallazgos radiológicos, desempeñan un papel esencial para realizar un correcto diagnóstico deferencial y el seguimiento de estas adenopatías.

Complications and local relapse after intraoperative low-voltage X-ray radiotherapy in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To study those factors that influence the occurrence of surgical complications and local relapse in patients intervened for breast cancer and receiving intraoperative radiotherapy. METHODS: Observational study on patients intervened for breast cancer with conservative surgery and intraoperative radiotherapy with low-voltage X-ray energy source (INTRABEAM), from 2015 to 2017 with 24 months minimum follow-up. Variables possibly associated to the occurrence of postoperative complications were analyzed with the Student t-test and the Fisher exact test; P < 0.05 considered significant. Subsequently, the construction of multiple multivariate analysis models began, thus building a logistic regression analysis using the IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 23 software. Local relapse was described. RESULTS: The study included 102 patients, mean age of 61.2 years; mean global size of tumor, 12.2 mm. Complications occurred in 29.4%. Fibrosis was the most frequently observed complication, followed by postoperative seroma. Using a 45 mm or larger applicator were significantly associated with the occurrence of complications. Tumor size 2 cm or larger and reintervention showed borderline significant association. Only one case of local relapse was observed. CONCLUSION: Certain factors may increase the risk of complication after the use of intraoperative radiotherapy. Using external complementary radiotherapy does not seem to increase the rate of complications. Select patients and the involvement of a multidisciplinary team are essential for achieving good results.

Enfermedad persistente y recaída en el carcinoma medular de tiroides. Serie de casos / Persistent disease and recurrence in medullary thyroid carcinoma: A case series

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Inverse radiotherapy planning in reconstructive surgery for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Post-mastectomy radiotherapy reduces the risk of local-regional relapse and distant disease, and increases global survival in women with axillary involvement. With the new reconstruction techniques and increasing use of directed external radiotherapy, immediate reconstruction can be performed with good cosmetic results and low complication rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational study with consecutive sampling conducted in patients undergoing reconstructive surgery for breast cancer, between 2010 and 2016, with a 12-months minimum follow-up period. A group of patients radiated after receiving an expander (RT-Expander) were compared with a control group of non-radiated patients (Non-RT), who had been treated with the same surgical technique. We compare general complications, reconstruction failure, aesthetic results and satisfaction degree with software IBM® SPSS® Statistics v. 21 and BREAST-Q scores. RESULTS: Reconstruction failure was observed in 15.6% of patients in a similar proportion in both groups. External radiotherapy was not an independent significant factor influencing the occurrence of general complications, capsular contracture grade ≥3 or reconstruction failure. The Kaplan-Meyer curve showed no differences in reconstruction survival between groups. Aesthetic results were excellent-very good in 78.1% of patients. Absence of a contralateral procedure for symmetrization, occurrence of general complications, occurrence of capsular contracture grade ≥3 and reconstruction failure were significantly associated to fair-poor cosmetic results. The satisfaction degree of operated patients was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of external radiotherapy towards more directed techniques, which modulate the dose administered to the mammary tissue and adjacent structures, allowed us to make immediate reconstruction a reality for most patients, with complication rates, cosmetic results and satisfaction degrees similar to those of non-radiated patients.

Factors predicting local relapse and survival in patients treated with surgery for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of local relapse in patients treated with surgery for breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This observational study included 673 patients treated with surgery for breast cancer between 2005 and 2010, who were monitored for a 7-year minimum follow-up period. The study was concluded on 2017 and yielded a total of 31 cases of local relapse. RESULTS: 4.6% of patients presented local relapse, most of them during the first 3 years of follow-up; 45% of patients with local relapse subsequently presented the disease at distant points. The association between the occurrence of local relapse and later onset of the disease at distant points was significant. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that negative results for the presence of progesterone receptors, the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the presence of the disease at distant points were factors that significantly influenced patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of the patients suffering relapse subsequently present the disease at distant points. Certain factors increase the aggressiveness of the disease, predict higher risk of relapse and determine its prognosis.

Vólvulo de sigma en la enfermedad de Chagas / Sigmoid volvulus due to Chagas disease

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[Uso de los valores de hormona paratiroidea intranodular obtenidos por punción con aguja fina como factor predictivo de hipoparatiroidismo posoperatorio]. / Use of intranodular parathyroid hormone values obtained by fine needle aspiration as a predictive factor of postoperative hypoparathyroidism.

OBJETIVO: Análisis de los valores de hormona paratiroidea (PTH) intranodular obtenidos por punción con aguja fina como factor predictivo de hipoparatiroidismo posoperatorio. MÉTODO: De los 157 pacientes a los que se realizó la medición de la PTH intranodular, se estudiaron 37 que fueron intervenidos quirúrgicamente, estableciendo 15 variables para analizar: edad, sexo, tiempo de evolución, tamaño, cirugía de tiroides asociada, tratamiento preoperatorio con calcimiméticos, litiasis renal, densitometría ósea, aclaramiento de creatinina, calcio y PTH preoperatorios, PTH determinada tras punción con aguja fina, descenso de la PTH intraoperatoria, calcio posoperatorio y malignidad de la tumoración. Estas se compararon con la prueba de ji al cuadrado o el test exacto de Fisher, siendo significativa una p < 0.05, construyéndose así un análisis de regresión logística. RESULTADOS: El uso de calcimiméticos previo a la cirugía, la PTH preoperatoria > 88 pg/dl, el calcio preoperatorio > 12 mg/dl, los valores de PTH intranodular > 2700 pg/dl, el descenso de la PTH intraoperatoria a < 15 pg/dl y el calcio posoperatorio < 8,5 mg/dl fueron variables independientes significativas en el análisis univariante (p < 0.05) para la predicción del hipoparatiroidismo posoperatorio. CONCLUSIONES: Los valores de PTH intranodular pueden predecir qué pacientes tienen mayor riesgo de sufrir un hipoparatiroidismo posoperatorio. Este factor debe tenerse en cuenta durante el estudio y el seguimiento de los pacientes para identificar precozmente posibles complicaciones. OBJECTIVE: To analize if parathyroid hormone (PTH) washout levels can be considered a predictive factor of postoperative hypoparathyroidism and determine its importance relative to other features already known as intraoperative PTH, Ca and PTH preoperative, and others. METHOD: Of the 157 patients to whom a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy with intranodular parathyroid hormone level measurement was performed (washout PTH) 37 who underwent surgery were studied. 15 variables were taken into account when selecting patients for this study: age, gender, evolution length, size, associated thyroid surgery, preoperative treatment with calcimimetics, presence of renal lithiasis, bone densitometry alterations, creatine clearance, preoperative calcium and PTH levels, PTH scores obtained by fine needle aspiration, intraoperative PTH decrease, postoperative calcium levels and tumour malignancy. We compare the nominal values, using the Chi squared or the exact Fisher test, where p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant and perform a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The use of calcimimetics prior to surgery, the preoperative PTH level above 88 pg/dl, the preoperative calcium above 12 mg/dl, washout PTH above 2700 pg/dl, intraoperative PTH level decrease below 15 pg/dl, and postoperative calcium levels under 8.5 mg/dl were all independently significant variables in the univariant analysis (p < 0.05) in order to establish an early postoperative hypoparathyroidism. The rest of the variables were not statistically significative. CONCLUSION: The PTH washout levels can predict the appearance of postoperative hypoparathyroidism. This factor must be taken into account during the study and follow-up to identify possible complications and establish an adequate treatment on time.

Necrosis mamaria en paciente con linfoma no Hodgkin primario de células T / Breast necrosis in a patient with primary T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

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Hepatolitiasis. Abordaje quirúrgico endoscópico utilizando láser de holmio para su tratamiento / Hepatolithiasis. Surgical approach using endoscopic holmium laser for treatment

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[Hepatocholangiocarcinoma in young patient with a giant liver tumour]. / Hepatocolangiocarcinoma en paciente joven con tumoración hepática gigante.

BACKGROUND: Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma is a rare primary hepatic tumour, showing both hepatocellular as well as biliary epithelium differentiation. Its diagnosis is often delayed, as it occurs in young patients without comorbidities and with non-specific symptoms. Most cases are confused with other types of cancer, especially fibrolamellar liver cancer, which is more frequent and has similar clinical and radiological features. CLINICAL CASE: The case is presented of a 26 year old woman with a giant combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma with difficulties in its diagnosis and a complicated surgical approach. DISCUSSION: The definitive diagnosis of this disease is defined by the histological demonstration of cholangiolar and hepatocellular differentiation, with surgical treatment always being the best choice, but with lower survival than classic hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. In some patients with unfavourable prognostic factors, adjuvant chemotherapy mainly directed cholangiolar component can be given. CONCLUSION: The current incidence of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma varies from 2 to 5% of cases, and is one of the rarest histological types in the world. The large size and hypervascularisation of the tumour makes a surgical approach difficult in these patients, while the rare histological features require a more detailed study of the piece and the application of immunohistochemical techniques to confirm the diagnosis.

Evisceración de asas intestinales a través de periné posterior por traumatismo en paciente anciano / Evisceration of the small bowel through posterior perineum due to trauma in the elderly

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Carcinoma paratiroideo intratiroideo. Descripción de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Intrathyroidal parathyroid carcinoma. A case report and review of literature

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