A Plasmacytoma of the Lateral Pharyngeal Wall: A Diagnostic Enigma.

Plasmacytoma is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia that grows in bones or soft tissues such as the pharynx. Soft tissue plasmacytomas are rare, and a higher burden has been reported in the upper aero-digestive tract, often manifesting as hoarseness, dysphagia, or odynophagia. Due to their rarity, extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs) have unknown prognostic factors, and guidelines for optimal management are still lacking. However, radiation therapy and surgery have been used with positive outcomes. Herein, we describe a unique case of plasmacytoma of the pharyngeal tissue in a male patient with a history of HIV disease. The patient completed 28 sessions of radiation therapy, resulting in an improvement in his throat pain and hoarseness. Given the patient's age and lack of traditional risk factors for head and neck cancers, his hoarseness and odynophagia proved to be a diagnostic conundrum. Although infrequent, soft tissue plasmacytomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of head and neck tumors.

The Cancer Diaspora: A Rare Case of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei of Appendiceal Origin.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare clinical entity characterized by widespread mucinous implants in the peritoneal cavity. Commonly seen in females in their 50s, PMP typically originates from ruptured appendiceal mucoceles that find refuge in the peritoneal space. Rarely, PMP may originate from the ovary, stomach, colon, or pancreas. Pseudomyxoma peritonei of colorectal origin is more malignant and has a lower survival rate. We report a case of a 59-year-old Hispanic woman with PMP who presented to the emergency room with a 3-month history of progressive abdominal distention. Pseudomyxoma peritonei was confirmed by computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis and histopathology, and the patient underwent partial cytoreductive surgery. Given her Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 1 despite extensive carcinomatosis, our patient may benefit from hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the future.

Rectal Tropism: An Extremely Rare Case of Prostate Cancer Recurrence With Metastasis to the Rectum Postradical Prostatectomy.

Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer affecting men in the United States. It is a slow-growing tumor that can be missed during the nascent phase. Prostate cancer commonly metastasizes to the bones and nearby lymph nodes. However, cases of metastatic prostate cancer to the rectum are exceptionally rare. Such metastases may cause obstructive or malabsorption symptoms similar to those observed in primary rectal carcinoma. We present a very rare case of prostate cancer recurrence with rectal metastasis in an elderly male with a history of castration-resistant prostate carcinoma status postradical prostatectomy.

Annular Indentation of the Ventricles in a Stillborn: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BackgroundIdiopathic indentation of the cardiac ventricles in a fetus has not been previously reported. Reported cases of congenital ventricle indentation are either caused by pericardial abnormalities or myocardial defects. Case report: We describe an incidental finding of annular indentation of the lower part of both ventricles in a stillborn male. The fetus was well-developed and the cause of stillborn was pronounced cord entanglement twice around the neck. Conclusion: Circumferential indentation of ventricles is distinguished from constrictive pericarditis and other myocardial defects as histologically the three layers of endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium are intact.

Erdheim-Chester disease presenting at the central nervous system.

Erdheim-Chester disease is a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) that affects different body systems. It was recently recognized as a neoplastic disorder after identifying an activating mutation of the MAPK pathway. Neurological presentations of ECD are rare. We present a case of a 35-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with neck pain, headache and vomiting for 2 months; MRI showed multiple heterogeneous intracranial masses. Neurosurgery performed a suboccipital craniotomy, partially resected the cerebellar mass, and placed a parietal to frontal shunt catheter. Biopsy results from the cerebellar mass demonstrated cerebellar tissue involved by a diffuse proliferation of foamy histiocytes and spindle cells admixed with prominent lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and positive for CD68, CD163, Factor XIIIa and Fascin. PET scan showed hypermetabolic uptake within the medullary portions of the diffuse abnormal lesions of the distal femurs, tibias, and fibulas, and cardiac MRI was nonsignificant. The patient was started on vemurafenib and continued to show improvement in a 3-month outpatient follow-up.

Upper Gastrointestinal Crohn's Disease: Literature Review and Case Presentation.

Upper gastrointestinal tract predominant Crohn's Disease (CD) remains an elusive clinical entity, manifesting limited or vague symptomatology, eluding clinical suspicion, and delaying subsequent diagnostic evaluation. As a result, it has not been widely described and there is a lack of clear recommendations for diagnosis or management. Standard IBD evaluation including serologic testing, imaging, and endoscopy may initially not be fruitful. Furthermore, endoscopic evaluation may be grossly normal in patients without long standing-disease. We describe an 18-year-old male who presented with only unexplained, persistent iron-deficiency anemia. Extensive outpatient testing including multiple endoscopic evaluations with standard biopsies was unfruitful. Ultimately, a positive fecal calprotectin prompted enteroscopy with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) in an effort to obtain a larger, deeper tissue specimen. Grossly cobblestoned mucosa along with histopathology revealing focal crypt abscesses, chronic inflammation in the lamina propria, and superficial foveolar epithelial regenerative changes were consistent with CD. This patient's case illustrates the need for a high degree of suspicion for CD in patients with unexplained or persistent iron deficiency anemias. Persistent investigation yielded an elevation in fecal calprotectin suggesting underlying gastrointestinal inflammation and prompted advanced endoscopic evaluation with EMR. Waxing and waning tissue findings are characteristic of CD and pose a unique challenge in patients with upper gastrointestinal predominant pathology. As such, diligent workup including laboratory evaluation, imaging, and serial endoscopy is critical to establish pathology and dictate subsequent management in IBD, especially upper gastrointestinal tract predominant CD.