Accelerating Healing and Relieving Pain: High-Intensity Laser Therapy for Paraneoplastic Cutaneous Vasculitis Associated with Multiple Myeloma.

BACKGROUND Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is an atypical form of cutaneous paraneoplastic manifestation. Its association with multiple myeloma (MM) is even rarer and is associated with poor prognosis and short survival, regardless of the therapy instituted. Different treatment approaches are necessary. We present a case in which LCV was the first manifestation of MM, and high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) was used as an option to accelerate healing and control pain. CASE REPORT A 76-year-old woman presented with pain and paresthesia in her lower limbs, associated with palpable purpura. The clinical diagnosis was small-vessel vasculitis. Laboratory tests showed an elevated gamma globulin monoclonal peak on protein electrophoresis. The immunophenotypic study of bone marrow aspirates led to the diagnosis of MM. Due to pain refractory to conventional analgesics, and the progressive evolution of the lesions, despite corticosteroid therapy, we performed photo-biomodulation with a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser (Nd: YAG), wavelength 1064 nanometers, using a 7-mm probe and energy density 6 J/cm². After the first session, the patient was referred for pain management, and after 5 weeks, we observed complete healing in ulcerated lesions and involution of bullous lesions. CONCLUSIONS This case report shows the positive effects of the Nd: YAG laser in modulating healing and reducing pain. HILT is an innovative, non-invasive, and effective treatment and should be considered a promising technique to accelerate healing and controlling pain.

Urothelial bladder cancer with cardiac metastasis: Literature review and case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Urothelial bladder cancer can infrequently result in cardiac metastasis, and be usually diagnosed in severe clinical conditions. We report a urothelial bladder cancer with cardiac metastasis and perform a literature review of published cases of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder with cardiac metastasis from 1934 to 2023 published in Pubmed. CASE PRESENTATION: 42-year-old woman with urinnary bladder TCC, underwent radical cystectomy, developing cardiac metastasis after 25 months, cardiac surgery for partial removal of the lesion and using pembrolizumab with the highest reported survival to date. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: After analysis of 20 case reports in the world among our case, men are more affected, tobacco exposure was the most prevalent risk factor, baseline T3 staging was the most common, and right ventricular and myocardium metastases are more prevalent. The most common symptoms were respiratory failure, changes in cardiac auscultation, and loss of weight. Six patients had cardiac tamponade, and the mean of drained fluid was 1040 ml. Immunohistochemical markers, such as CK7 and Calretinin, were decisive in elucidating the diagnosis. The average time between diagnosis of TCC and cardiac metastasis was 48.69 months, and the survival time after diagnosis of cardiac metastasis was 60.69 days. CONCLUSION: Bladder TCC with cardiac metastasis is rare and with a low survival rate after the diagnosis. Patients with more advanced stages of TCC deserve diagnostic suspicion of cardiac metastasis if they progress with previously unreported respiratory and cardiac symptoms.

CYTOPLASMIC-MEMBRANE EGFR PREDICTS EXPANDED RAS MUTATION STATUS IN COLORECTAL CARCINOMAS?

BACKGROUND: Inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor (EGFR) represent an effective therapeutic option for patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma, free of activating mutations in KRAS and NRAS. However, the research of mutations is of high cost and scarcely accessible. The expression of the EGFR by immunohistochemistry predicting the mutation status of the expanded RAS (KRAS and NRAS), may allow treatment by a diagnostic method less costly and more accessible. AIM: Investigate the correlation between the clinical-pathological data, the cytoplasmic-membrane expression of the EGFR and the mutational status of the expanded RAS. METHOD: A total of 139 patients with colorectal carcinoma from the archives of Instituto Goiano de Oncologia e Hematologia were evaluated. RESULTS: Mutation of the expanded RAS was detected in 78 (56.1%) cases. The EGFR expression was stratified in 23 (16.5%) "positive", 49 (35.2%) "negative" and 67 (48.2%) "uncertain". No significant correlation was found between the mutational status of the RAS and the EGFR expression in comparison to age, gender, location, histological type, histological grade and stage. From 23 "positive" cases, 21 (91.3%) showed wild-type RAS gene, and 49 "negative", 41 (83.7%) presented mutation, resulting in a strong association between EGFR "positive", "negative" groups and the mutational status of the RAS (p<0.001), with 86.1% of accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The cytoplasmic-membrane analysis of the EGFR expression stratified into "positive", "negative" and "uncertain" predicts mutational status of the RAS in 51.7% of the cases (p<0.001), with 86.1% of accuracy.

Ex vivo retrieval of mature oocytes for fertility preservation in a patient with bilateral borderline ovarian tumor / Recuperação ex vivo de oócitos maduros para preservação da fertilidade em paciente com tumor ovariano borderline bilateral

Abstract We report a case of ultrasound-guided ex vivo oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation in a woman with bilateral borderline ovarian tumor, for whom conventional transvaginal oocyte retrieval was deemed unsafe because of the increased risk of malignant cell spillage. Ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins was performed. Surgery was scheduled according to the ovarian response to exogenous gonadotropic stimulation; oophorectomized specimens were obtained by laparoscopy, and oocyte retrieval was performed ~ 37 hours after the ovulatory trigger. The sum of 20 ovarian follicles were aspirated, and 16 oocytes were obtained.We performed vitrification of 12 metaphase II oocytes and 3 oocytes matured in vitro. Our result emphasizes the viability of ex vivo mature oocyte retrieval after controlled ovarian stimulation for those with high risk of malignant dissemination by conventional approach.

Resumo Relatamos um caso de obtenção ex vivo de óvulos, guiada por ultrassonografia, para preservação da fertilidade em uma mulher com tumor ovariano borderline bilateral, para quem a recuperação transvaginal convencional foi considerada insegura, devido ao aumento do risco de disseminação de célulasmalignas. Foi realizada estimulação ovariana com gonadotrofinas. A cirurgia foi agendada de acordo com a resposta ovariana à estimulação gonadotrófica exógena; após ooforectomia por laparoscopia, ~ 37 horas após a maturação folicular, procedeu-se à recuperação extracorpórea de oócitos. Umtotal de 20 folículos ovarianos foi aspirado e 16 complexos cumulus foramobtidos, resultando na vitrificação de 12 oócitos maduros e de 3 oócitos imaturos amadurecidos in vitro. Nosso resultado enfatiza a viabilidade da recuperação ex vivo de oócitos maduros após estimulação ovariana controlada para mulheres com alto risco de disseminação maligna pela captação oocitária realizada convencionalmente pela via transvaginal.

Ex vivo Retrieval of Mature Oocytes for Fertility Preservation in a Patient with Bilateral Borderline Ovarian Tumor.

We report a case of ultrasound-guided ex vivo oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation in a woman with bilateral borderline ovarian tumor, for whom conventional transvaginal oocyte retrieval was deemed unsafe because of the increased risk of malignant cell spillage. Ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins was performed. Surgery was scheduled according to the ovarian response to exogenous gonadotropic stimulation; oophorectomized specimens were obtained by laparoscopy, and oocyte retrieval was performed ∼ 37 hours after the ovulatory trigger. The sum of 20 ovarian follicles were aspirated, and 16 oocytes were obtained. We performed vitrification of 12 metaphase II oocytes and 3 oocytes matured in vitro. Our result emphasizes the viability of ex vivo mature oocyte retrieval after controlled ovarian stimulation for those with high risk of malignant dissemination by conventional approach.

Relatamos um caso de obtenção ex vivo de óvulos, guiada por ultrassonografia, para preservação da fertilidade em uma mulher com tumor ovariano borderline bilateral, para quem a recuperação transvaginal convencional foi considerada insegura, devido ao aumento do risco de disseminação de células malignas. Foi realizada estimulação ovariana com gonadotrofinas. A cirurgia foi agendada de acordo com a resposta ovariana à estimulação gonadotrófica exógena; após ooforectomia por laparoscopia, ∼ 37 horas após a maturação folicular, procedeu-se à recuperação extracorpórea de oócitos. Um total de 20 folículos ovarianos foi aspirado e 16 complexos cumulus foram obtidos, resultando na vitrificação de 12 oócitos maduros e de 3 oócitos imaturos amadurecidos in vitro. Nosso resultado enfatiza a viabilidade da recuperação ex vivo de oócitos maduros após estimulação ovariana controlada para mulheres com alto risco de disseminação maligna pela captação oocitária realizada convencionalmente pela via transvaginal.

Cytoplasmic-membrane egfr predicts expanded ras mutation status in colorectal carcinomas? / Egfr membrano-citoplasmático prediz mutação ras expandida no carcinoma colorretal?

ABSTRACT Background: Inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor (EGFR) represent an effective therapeutic option for patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma, free of activating mutations in KRAS and NRAS. However, the research of mutations is of high cost and scarcely accessible. The expression of the EGFR by immunohistochemistry predicting the mutation status of the expanded RAS (KRAS and NRAS), may allow treatment by a diagnostic method less costly and more accessible. Aim: Investigate the correlation between the clinical-pathological data, the cytoplasmic-membrane expression of the EGFR and the mutational status of the expanded RAS. Method: A total of 139 patients with colorectal carcinoma from the archives of Instituto Goiano de Oncologia e Hematologia were evaluated. Results: Mutation of the expanded RAS was detected in 78 (56.1%) cases. The EGFR expression was stratified in 23 (16.5%) "positive", 49 (35.2%) "negative" and 67 (48.2%) "uncertain". No significant correlation was found between the mutational status of the RAS and the EGFR expression in comparison to age, gender, location, histological type, histological grade and stage. From 23 "positive" cases, 21 (91.3%) showed wild-type RAS gene, and 49 "negative", 41 (83.7%) presented mutation, resulting in a strong association between EGFR "positive", "negative" groups and the mutational status of the RAS (p<0.001), with 86.1% of accuracy. Conclusions: The cytoplasmic-membrane analysis of the EGFR expression stratified into "positive", "negative" and "uncertain" predicts mutational status of the RAS in 51.7% of the cases (p<0.001), with 86.1% of accuracy.

RESUMO Racional: Inibidores do fator de crescimento epidermal (EGFR) representam opção de terapia efetiva para o câncer colorrectal metastático, na ausência de ativação de mutações KRAS e NRAS. Entretanto, a pesquisa de mutações é cara e pouco acessível. A expressão de EGFR por imuno-histoquímica predizendo o status mutacional do RAS expandido (KRAS e NRAS) poderia permitir o tratamento por método diagnóstico menos caro e mais acessível. Objetivo: Investigar a correlação entre os dados clinicopatológicos, a expressão de EGFR na membrana citoplasmática e o status mutacional do RAS expandido. Método: Estudo retrospectivo de acurácia envolvendo 139 pacientes com carcinoma colorretal. Resultado: A mutação do RAS expandido foi detectada em 78 (56,1%) casos. A expressão de EGFR foi estratificada em 23 (16,5%) casos "positivos", 49 (35,2%) casos "negativos" e 67 (48,2%) "duvidosos". Não houve correlação significante entre o status mutacional do RAS e a expressão de EGFR em relação a idade, gênero, local do tumor, tipo histológico, grau histológico e estádio clínico. Em 23 casos "positivos", 21 (91,3%) mostraram gene RAS tipo selvagem, e em 49 "negativos", 41 (83,7%) apresentaram mutação, resultando em forte associação entre grupos EGFR "positivo" ou "negativo" e o status mutacional do RAS (p<0.001), com 86,1% de acurácia. Conclusão: A análise da expressão de EGFR na membrana citoplasmática estratificada em "positivo", "negativo" e "duvidoso" prediz o status mutacional do RAS em 51,7% dos casos (p<0.001), com 86,1% de acurácia.

Esophageal schwannoma: Case report and epidemiological, clinical, surgical and immunopathological analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Schwannoma is a tumor of the peripheral nervous system originated in the Schwann cells of the neural sheath. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 43-years-old male complained of odynophagia, dysphagia and hemoptysis. The upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a smooth elevated lesion, 20 cm from the incisor teeth, occupying the entire lumen of the esophagus. The chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed a lesion of 7 cm and superior mediastinal, lower paraesophageal and cardiac enlarged lymph nodes. A posterolateral thoracotomy was performed with total esophagectomy without intraoperative complications. The anatomopathological analysis revealed fusocellular mesenchymal neoplasia of low malignancy potential. The immunohistochemical study showed positivity for S-100 protein and KI67 antibodies and absence of staining for CD117, CD34, ALK protein, SMA and Desmin. Thus, the morphological and immunohistochemical findings pointed to the diagnosis of esophageal Schwannoma. DISCUSSION: Although rare and indolent, Schwannoma occurs in the peripheral nervous system, being uncommon in the esophagus. CONCLUSION: The immunohistochemical study is essential for the diagnosis, which is based on the positivity for S-100 protein and absence of staining for CD34 and CD117.