Perineural spread of malignant head and neck tumors: review of the literature and analysis of cases treated at a teaching hospital.

Perineural tumor spread refers to the migration of tumor cells along nerve tissues. It worsens the prognosis, increases the recurrence rate, and diminishes 5-year survival by up to 30%. It is an important finding on imaging tests employed in the staging of patients with head and neck cancers, because it cannot be assessed by the surgeon alone. Nevertheless, it is frequently overlooked. In this study, we reviewed the literature regarding the imaging and pathophysiological aspects of this type of dissemination. We also analyzed ten imaging tests, obtained from a teaching hospital in Brazil, in which there were radiological signs of perineural tumor spread.

Disseminação perineural de tumores refere-se à extensão de células tumorais ao longo do tecido dos nervos. Acarreta um pior prognóstico, aumenta a taxa de recorrência e diminui a expectativa de vida em cinco anos em até 30%. É um achado importante em exames de imagem quando se estadia pacientes com cânceres de cabeça e pescoço, já que não pode ser avaliado somente pelo cirurgião. Todavia, é uma alteração que frequentemente passa despercebida. No presente estudo, revisamos trabalhos científicos da literatura médica sobre os achados de imagem e os aspectos fisiopatológicos desse tipo de disseminação e analisamos 10 exames de imagem com sinais radiológicos de disseminação perineural oriundos de um hospital-escola brasileiro.

Perineural spread of malignant head and neck tumors: review of the literature and analysis of cases treated at a teaching hospital / Disseminação perineural de tumores malignos de cabeça e pescoço: revisão da literatura e análise de casos de um hospital-escola

Abstract Perineural tumor spread refers to the migration of tumor cells along nerve tissues. It worsens the prognosis, increases the recurrence rate, and diminishes 5-year survival by up to 30%. It is an important finding on imaging tests employed in the staging of patients with head and neck cancers, because it cannot be assessed by the surgeon alone. Nevertheless, it is frequently overlooked. In this study, we reviewed the literature regarding the imaging and pathophysiological aspects of this type of dissemination. We also analyzed ten imaging tests, obtained from a teaching hospital in Brazil, in which there were radiological signs of perineural tumor spread.

Resumo Disseminação perineural de tumores refere-se à extensão de células tumorais ao longo do tecido dos nervos. Acarreta um pior prognóstico, aumenta a taxa de recorrência e diminui a expectativa de vida em cinco anos em até 30%. É um achado importante em exames de imagem quando se estadia pacientes com cânceres de cabeça e pescoço, já que não pode ser avaliado somente pelo cirurgião. Todavia, é uma alteração que frequentemente passa despercebida. No presente estudo, revisamos trabalhos científicos da literatura médica sobre os achados de imagem e os aspectos fisiopatológicos desse tipo de disseminação e analisamos 10 exames de imagem com sinais radiológicos de disseminação perineural oriundos de um hospital-escola brasileiro.

Partial lipectomy reduces dimethylhydrazine-induced carcinogenic initiation in the colon of rats.

This study investigated whether visceral adipose tissue directly modulates the development of preneoplastic lesions in the colon of carcinogen-treated rats. Wistar rats (n=64) were randomly assigned to 8 experimental groups in two experiments. In one experiment, 32 rats were exposed or not to either carcinogen treatment (dimethylhydrazine, DMH; 125 mg/kg) or high-fat diet (standard chow enriched with 14% lard) or both for 56 days. In a second experiment, 32 rats were exposed to a carcinogen or they underwent partial lipectomy or both for 30 days (partial lipectomy groups underwent ablation of mesenteric and parametrial fat pads, whereas sham groups did not; all rats were fed with standard chow). Colon was collected for histopathological analysis. After 56 experimental days a high-fat diet increased carcinogenic mutations in the colonic epithelia. Partial lipectomy reduced weight gain in carcinogen-exposed rats and decreased the de novo formation of mesenteric and parametrial fat pads. Partial lipectomy significantly inhibited the mutational process after 30 days: there were fewer colonic preneoplastic lesions and less proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation. These data suggest that visceral adipose tissue promotes colon carcinogenesis and enhances the establishment and expansion of genetically mutated cells in colonic epithelia.

Plasmocitoma solitário ósseo: relato de caso / Solitary bone plasmocitoma: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Plasmocitoma é um tumor maligno, originado da proliferação irreversível e autônoma dos plasmócitos, podendo se apresentar como massa circunscrita ou infiltração difusa. O plasmocitoma ósseo solitário é raro. Embora a idade dos pacientes seja variável, é incomum antes dos 30 anos. Tem predomínio no sexo masculino em proporção 3:1 e sua principal localização é a coluna vertebral. No plasmocitoma solitário, a eletroforese de proteínas séricas, o mielograma e as análises laboratoriais e radiológicas não apresentam evidências de doença sistêmica. O objetivo deste estudo foi relatar o caso de plasmocitoma solitário ósseo, localizado no osso esterno, enfocando aspectos essenciais na sua caracterização.RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo masculino, 45 anos, encaminhado ao Serviço de Cirurgia Torácica devido ao surgimento de massa na região do manúbrio esternal, associado à dor local. Realizou tomografia computadorizada (TC) do tórax que mostrou extensa lesão lítica no osso esterno. A avaliação laboratorial incluindo hemograma, eletrólitos, eletroforese de proteínas séricas, análise quantitativa de imunoglobulinas séricas estavam todos dentro da normalidade. A pesquisa de proteína de Bence Jones foi negativa e a avaliação radiológica do crânio e ossos longos e a cintilografia óssea não mostrava outras lesões líticas. A biópsia de medula óssea foi normal. O paciente foi submetido à biópsia incisional da lesão que confirmou o diagnóstico de plasmocitoma solitário ósseo.CONCLUSÃO: Plasmocitoma solitário apesar de raro deve ser lembrado como diagnóstico diferencial de outras afecções para que o tratamento correto seja instituído, objetivando controle precoce da doença e melhor sobrevida.(AU)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Plasmacytoma is a malignant tumor originated of irreversible and independent proliferation of plasma cells. It's able to present itself as a circumscribed mass or diffuse infiltration. Solitary bone plasmacytoma is a rare tumor. Although the age of the patients is changeable, it is uncommon before the 30 years. It has predominance in men in ratio 3:1 and the main localization is the vertebral column. In solitary plasmacytoma, the serum protein electrophoresis, the bone marrow biopsy, as well as the laboratorial and radiological analyses and bone cintilography do not show evidences of systemic disease. The objective of this study is to report the case of a solitary bone plasmacytoma located in sternum, focusing essential aspects in the characterization of this entity. CASE REPORT: A male patient, 45-year-old, directed to the Thoracic Surgery Service due to the sprouting of a mass in sternum associated to local pain. In the Thoracic Computadorized Tomography (CT) Scan was noticed extensive litic injury in sternum. The laboratorial evaluation including hemogram, electrolytes, serum protein electrophoresis, serum quantitative immunoglobulin's analysis were normal. The Bence Jones protein was negative and the radiological evaluation of the skull and long bones did not show other litic injuries. The bone marrow biopsy was normal. The patient was submitted to a biopsy that ensuring the diagnosis of solitary bone plasmacytoma. CONCLUSION: Although solitary is a rare disease it should be remembered for differential diagnosis, objectifying a correct treatment and a better control of the disease.(AU)

Cardiovascular autonomic response to food ingestion in patients with gastritis: a comparison between Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients.

BACKGROUND: Feeding evokes a cardiovascular response associated to an increased sympathetic drive. The role of the parasympathetic component in this regard is less clear. Improvement of postprandial vasovagal complaints after Helicobacter pylori eradication in three cases led us to assess autonomic response to feeding in H. pylori-positive patients in search for an exacerbated parasympathetic response. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with mild or moderate chronic histologic gastritis were studied. Subjects with the same diagnosis but testing negative for H. pylori were used as controls. Noninvasive cardiovascular tests were applied before and after feeding. RESULTS: On sympathetic tests, standing postprandial blood pressure was lower than preprandially in 5/12 H. pylori-positive patients and in 0/9 controls, p = .045. Resting postprandial BP on handgrip test was significantly lower than preprandially only in H. pylori-positive patients (71 +/- 8 versus 76 +/- 6 mmHg, p = .0068). Regarding parasympathetic tests, the 4-s unloaded exercise revealed greater initial heart rate response to unloaded cycling after feeding than preprandially again only in H. pylori-positive patients (1.40 +/- 0.20 versus 1.33 +/- 0.17, p = .0195). On tests influenced by both branches of the autonomic system, a difference was seen in the chronotropic response to handgrip. Postprandial heart rate on effort of H. pylori-positive patients was not higher than preprandially in contrast to controls [intervals between 2 consecutive R waves on electrocardiogram (R-R intervals) of 666 +/- 39 versus 685 +/- 62 ms, p = .0195], suggesting blunted sympathetic activation in the former. CONCLUSION: Supporting the observations that motivate the study, our findings indicate blunted sympathetic reactivity and exacerbated vagal response to feeding in H. pylori-positive patients.

Sobre um caso de anafilaxia em profissional de saúde / About a case of anapylaxis in a health care worker

O presente trabalho apresenta o caso de uma paciente, profissional de saúde, que esteve em grave risco, por reação anafilática à ingestão de creme de abacate. Presume-se que tenha ocorrido reação cruzada entre esta fruta e proteínas do látex, ao qual a paciente tinha sensibilidade ocupacional. Ressalte-se que a paciente ignorava sua condição de hipersensível ao látex e, principalmente, ao abacate, fruta que havia ingerido antes sem reações alérgicas

Infecçäo por "mycobacterium kansasii" em hemofílico com SIDA / Infection by \"mycobacterium kansasii\" in hemophilic and AIDS patient

O Mycobacterium kansasii é causa rara de doença pulmonar em pacientes com SIDA. Ocorre em somente 0,2 por cento dos casos da sindrome. Os autores apresentam um caso de doença pulmonar causada pelo M. Kansasii, com apresentaçao radiológica nao-habitual, em paciente hemofílico com Sida.