Complete heart block ensuing from a metastatic small cell carcinoma: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Notwithstanding the diagnostic and therapeutic advancements, the incidence of cardiac metastases has increased in recent decades. Lung cancers are the most common primary malignant neoplasms with cardiac metastasis potential. The clinical presentation of cardiac metastases is either silent or vague, and largely depends on the infiltrated location and tumor burden. Although arrhythmias are not uncommon in metastatic cardiac tumors, complete heart block is relatively a rare manifestation. We present a case of complete heart block due to a metastatic small cell carcinoma in a 67-year-old male of African origin. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old male of African origin from rural Tanzania was referred to us for expert management. He is a retired agromechanic with over 30 years exposure to asbestos-containing brake linings. His past medical history was unremarkable, but the family-social history was evident for a heavy alcohol intake and chronic cigarette smoking. He presented with a 24-week history of progressive shortness of breath and an 8-week history of recurrent syncopal attacks coupled with a significant weight loss. He had normal echocardiographic findings, however, the electrocardiogram showed features of complete heart block. Chest X-ray showed a homogeneous opacification on the right side and computed tomography scan revealed a solid right lung mass with metastases to the liver, heart, bowels, and bone. He underwent bronchoscopy, which revealed an endobronchial mass obstructing the bronchus intermedius. Histological examination of a section of lung biopsy taken during bronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of a small cell carcinoma. The patient underwent dual chamber pacemaker implantation with successful sinus rhythm restoration. He made an informed refusal of chemotherapy and inevitably died 18 months post pacing. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the advancements in medical diagnostics and management, lung cancers are often diagnosed in advanced stages, with an inevitable grave prognosis. Small cell carcinoma has the potential to metastasize to the heart, resulting in complete heart block.

Oat Cell Carcinoma Lung Presenting as Chest Wall Swelling.

Chest wall swelling originating from lung is an uncommon phenomenon that makes its diagnosis a challenging task. We present a case where an 82-year-old man, a lifetime smoker, presented with a chest swelling. The origin of the swelling was an extension of a peripherally located lung malignancy diagnosed with the help of contrast-enhanced CT chest and confirmed as oat(or anaplastic) cell carcinoma on histology. After complete workup it was diagnosed as metastatic small cell carcinoma lung. Patient was managed with palliative chemoradiotherapy.

Manipulation of Oat Protoplasts for Transient Expression Assays.

Oat protoplasts are a useful and convenient system to study transient expression using whole cells. Nucleic acid can rapidly be introduced into live cells, and, depending on the assay, results can be collected the same day. Compared to plant tissue, oat cell suspension cultures provide a simple, high yielding, and consistent means to isolate protoplasts. Here, we describe how to generate an oat cell suspension culture from callus grown on solidified medium, and how to maintain the oat cells in cell suspension culture for protoplast preparation. Following the culturing procedure, we describe how to isolate oat protoplasts from cell suspension culture by enzymatic digestion of the cell walls and to transiently express nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) into the cells by electroporation.

Metástasis ováricas de carcinoma de células pequeñas de pulmón / Ovarian metastases of small cell carcinoma oat-cell type of lung

La incidencia de cáncer de pulmón sigue aumentando, sobre todo en las mujeres y, aunque las metástasis en ovario son raras, hay que tenerla en cuenta en el estudio de extensión y seguimiento del mismo, porque en la mayoría de los casos en el momento del diagnóstico se verifica diseminación a distancia. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 29 años en la que se planteó duda diagnóstica inicialmente entre tumor ovárico maligno con metástasis pulmonares versus linfoma, llegándose al diagnóstico final de carcinoma de células pequeñas tipo oat-cell de pulmón con metástasis ováricas.

The incidence of lung cancer is increasing, especially in women, and although metastasis in the ovary is uncommon it should be taken into account in the extension study and monitoring of the same because distant spread is verified in most cases at the time of diagnosis. We report the case of a 29-year-old patient which diagnostic doubt arose initially from malignant ovarian tumor with lung metastases or lymphoma, and she came to the final diagnosis of small cell carcinoma oat-cell type of lung with ovarian metastases.

Surgical outcomes in small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The experience of a single-institution regarding surgery for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was reviewed to evaluate the surgical outcomes and prognoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1990 to December 2009, thirty-four patients (28 male) underwent major pulmonary resection and lymph node dissection for SCLC. Lobectomy was performed in 24 patients, pneumonectomy in eight, bilobectomy in one, and segmentectomy in one. Surgical complications, mortality, the disease-free survival (DFS) rate, and the overall survival rate were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 26 months (range, 4 to 241 months), and there was one surgical mortality (2.9%). Six patients (17.6%) experienced recurrence, all of which were systemic. Eight patients died during follow-up; four died of disease progression and the other four died of pneumonia or of another non-cancerous cause. The three-year DFS rate was 79.2±2.6% and the overall survival rate was 66.4±10.5%. Recurrence or death was significantly prevalent in the patients with lymph node metastasis (p=0.001) as well as in those who did not undergo adjuvant chemotherapy (p=0.008). The three-year survival rate was significantly greater in the patients with pathologic stage I/II cancer than in those with stage III cancer (84% vs. 13%, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Major pulmonary resection for small cell lung cancer is feasible in selected patients. Patients with pathologic stage I or II disease showed an excellent survival rate after surgery and adjuvant treatment. Prospective randomized studies will be needed to define the role of surgery in early-stage small cell lung cancer.

Surgical Outcomes in Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND: The experience of a single-institution regarding surgery for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was reviewed to evaluate the surgical outcomes and prognoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1990 to December 2009, thirty-four patients (28 male) underwent major pulmonary resection and lymph node dissection for SCLC. Lobectomy was performed in 24 patients, pneumonectomy in eight, bilobectomy in one, and segmentectomy in one. Surgical complications, mortality, the disease-free survival (DFS) rate, and the overall survival rate were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 26 months (range, 4 to 241 months), and there was one surgical mortality (2.9%). Six patients (17.6%) experienced recurrence, all of which were systemic. Eight patients died during follow-up; four died of disease progression and the other four died of pneumonia or of another non-cancerous cause. The three-year DFS rate was 79.2+/-2.6% and the overall survival rate was 66.4+/-10.5%. Recurrence or death was significantly prevalent in the patients with lymph node metastasis (p=0.001) as well as in those who did not undergo adjuvant chemotherapy (p=0.008). The three-year survival rate was significantly greater in the patients with pathologic stage I/II cancer than in those with stage III cancer (84% vs. 13%, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Major pulmonary resection for small cell lung cancer is feasible in selected patients. Patients with pathologic stage I or II disease showed an excellent survival rate after surgery and adjuvant treatment. Prospective randomized studies will be needed to define the role of surgery in early-stage small cell lung cancer.

Adenocarcinoma pulmonar mimetizando tumor oat cell / Lung adenocarcinoma imiting oat cell

Os autores descrevem um caso de adenocarcinoma pulmonar mimetizando um carcinoma de pequenas células, avaliando as manifestações clínicas, a agressividade, localização e disseminação comparando com o padrão descrito na literatura.

The author describe a report of lung's adenocarcinoma care imiting a carcinoma of oat cell, estimating the clinical display, the agressivity, site and measure spread described in the literature.

Small Cell Carcinoma of the Trachea: 1 case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

A rare small cell carcinoma of the trachea was managed in a 59 year old female patient. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. Surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy were done. The patient died 6 months later due to multiple metastasis.

Surgical Resection of Small Cell Lung Cancer ( SCLC ) / 대한흉부외과학회지

Bafckground: Thr role and indication of surgery in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is currently limited and unsettled. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analyzed the surgical results of 9 patients with SCLC at Yosei Medical Center from January 1990 to December 1996. There were 8 males and 1 female, and their mean age was 57.2 years (range; 35-76). Preoperatively SCLC was confirmed in 5, but the other 4 cases were diagnosed as undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma. All patients underwent pulmoinary resection (lobectomy;5, lobectomy, segmentectomy and en-bloc resection of rib;1, bilobectomy; 2, pneumonectomy;1) and mediastinal lymph node dissection. RESULTS: There were no operative mortality with two complications (postoperative bleeding;1, arrhythmia;1). All cases were diagnosed as SCLC histologically and their TNM staging were confirmed as follows: T1N0M0;1, T2N0M0;4, T3N0M0;1, T3N1M0;1, T2N2M0; 1, T4N0M0;1. All patients had received postoperative chemotherapy, and radiotherapy was combined in 4 patients. During follow up period (range 1-63 months; mean 33.0months), there was only one metastasis to pelvic bone among 8 patients without lymph node metastasis, and all patients were alive. On the other hand, among 3 patients who had regional and/or mediastinal lymph node metastasis or T4 lesion, all patients had recurrences (local;2, brain;1), and 2 patients died. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the use of TNM staging is beneficial, and surgical resection should be recommended in the patients with early staged SCLC as an important treatment modality.