Sinonasal epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma: Report of a novel subsite and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a rare tumor of the major and minor salivary glands. Sinonasal EMC is extremely uncommon and hitherto not described within the frontal or ethmoid sinuses. OBJECTIVE: To present a novel sinonasal subsite and review the literature regarding sinonasal EMC. METHODS: A case of frontoethmoidal EMC was presented. A medical literature data base was queried from January 1, 1950, to August 8, 2017, for all reports of sinonasal EMC. RESULTS: A 69-year-old man underwent combined open and endoscopic craniofacial resection of a right frontoethmoidal EMC, a previously undescribed primary location for this tumor. A comprehensive review of the literature revealed 13 additional cases of sinonasal EMC. CONCLUSION: EMC is an uncommon neoplasm typically found in the major salivary glands; occurrence in the nose or paranasal sinuses is extremely rare. EMC often follows an indolent clinical course, although, in a minority of cases, particularly in large tumors with nuclear atypia, more aggressive behavior may be observed.

The Past, Present, and Future of HLA Typing in Transplantation.

The HLA region is the most polymorphic genes in the human genome and is associated with an increasing number of disease states. Historically, HLA typing methodology has been governed by phenotypic determination. This practice has evolved into the use of molecular methods such as real-time PCR, sequence-specific oligonucleotides, and sequencing-based methods. Numerous studies have identified HLA matching as a key determinate to improve patient outcomes from transplantation. Solid-organ transplants focus on HLA-DRB1 in renal organ allocation while hematopoietic cell transplants focus on HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 matching. The role of HLA typing in the future will be driven by HLA expression, understanding of HLA haplotypes, and rapid HLA typing.

Hemolytic anemia and metastatic carcinoma: case report and literature review.

Hemolytic anemia can complicate the development of a variety of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Although patients may have an established diagnosis with documented metastases, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA) can be a presenting feature of an occult malignancy. Prompt diagnosis is essential because conditions that mimic the symptoms of MAHA, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, have different prognoses and therapeutic options. Although the exact pathogenesis is not yet delineated, we present herein a case of cancer-associated MAHA and discuss the known pathways that can contribute to the initiation and propagation of hemolytic anemia in patients with cancer. The patient is a 69-year-old woman with breast carcinoma that had metastasized to her rectum, urinary bladder, and brain. She eventually developed progressive decline in her functional status, with intermittent epistaxis and melena. The results of laboratory studies revealed hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia; results of a bone-marrow biopsy confirmed the involvement by metastatic carcinoma. The patient received red blood cell and platelet transfusions and was discharged to hospice care after clinical stabilization. She died soon thereafter.