Far From Luck's Way: A Concurrence of Kaposi Sarcoma and Cutaneous Angiosarcoma in the Setting of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Kaposi sarcoma and cutaneous angiosarcoma are rare forms of skin malignancies that are vascular in nature and are frequently encountered in the immunosuppressed population. Although synchronous angiosarcoma and Kaposi sarcoma have been documented, to our knowledge, the coexistence of these vascular malignancies with underlying chronic lymphocytic leukemia has not been previously reported. A 51-year-old male patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia presented with Kaposi sarcoma located on his left ankle. Shortly after, the patient presented with de novo lesions located on the plantar region of the right foot, reported as angiosarcoma. Following a multidisciplinary decision, treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and carboplatin with consolidation radiotherapy was planned. The patient's Kaposi sarcoma has remained unchanged throughout this period. In such cases, the treatment is advised to be planned around the more aggressive malignancy. These patients should also be followed-up by dermatology due to the higher risk of secondary cutaneous malignancies.

PARP inhibition prevents acetaminophen-induced liver injury and increases survival rate in rats.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose results in severe liver damage that may develop into acute liver failure. Recent studies have demonstrated that inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) decreases tissue necrosis and inflammation. We evaluated the efficacy of 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB), a PARP inhibitor, in a rodent model of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided equally into 3 experimental groups: sham group, APAP group, and APAP + 3-AB group. In the experimental treatment groups APAP was administered orally at 1 g/kg and, in the APAP + 3-AB group, 3-AB was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg exactly 1 h after APAP treatment. Surviving animals were euthanized 48 h after initial APAP administration. Blood samples and liver tissues were collected for histopathological and biochemical analysis. RESULTS: A panel of oxidative stress parameters, as well as serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, neopterin, and nitrite/nitrate and histological injury scores, were significantly reduced among the APAP + 3-AB treatment group relative to the group treated with APAP alone (P < 0.05, APAP vs. APAP + 3-AB). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that 3-AB inhibited APAP-induced hepatic injury and reduced neopterin levels. Results of the present study indicate that PARP inhibitors may be an effective adjuvant therapy resulting in improved outcomes in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity.

Is chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting lower in smokers?

AIM: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is not understood completely. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of smoking on CINV. METHODS: 121 consecutive patients who received cisplatin (≥ 50 mg/m²) based chemotherapy were included in the study. The patients who reported motion sickness, pain, emesis during past pregnancy, emesis history of previous chemotherapy, with Karnofsky score < 70, peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux, migraine, central nervous system metastasis and patients scheduled to receive radiation therapy were excluded from the study. A standard antiemetic treatment was given to all patients. The nausea and vomiting was assessed by the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. After first cycle of chemotherapy, Grade 2 - 3 nausea and vomiting were questioned. RESULTS: Grade 2 - 3 nausea and vomiting was higher in non-smokers (p < 0.001). We found that nausea and vomiting in women is more frequent than in men (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In our study we found that smokers had a lower incidence of CINV. Further investigations are needed to confirm the findings of this pilot study.