Impact of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C viral infection on the outcome of ovarian cancer: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the impact of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the disease-free and overall survival of ovarian cancer patients undergoing a standard primary operation followed by standard chemotherapy. Attainment of the operative goals, intra- and postoperative events, possible complications under chemotherapy necessitating the termination of treatment, and the impact of ovarian cancer treatment on liver function were assessed. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study that included only patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. Only patients with Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification class A disease were recruited. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had liver cirrhosis. All the patients underwent primary debulking surgery followed by 6 cycles of chemotherapy, and were followed-up for 24 months after chemotherapy was completed. RESULTS: We recruited 77 patients, 19 of whom had liver cirrhosis. There were no significant differences between patients with or without liver cirrhosis with respect to tumor stage, histopathological type, tumor grade, or optimal operative debulking. There was no registered liver dysfunction-related mortality in the follow-up period, and there were no statistically significant differences between the groups with respect to disease-free or overall survival (p = 0.719 and p = 0.524, respectively). CONCLUSION: From the results of this study, we conclude that compensated liver cirrhosis (Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A) due to chronic HCV infection affects neither the disease-free nor the overall survival of ovarian cancer patients, regardless of their stage. This study shows that it is possible to treat ovarian cancer patients with cirrhosis caused by HCV infection the same as any other patient; treatment does not have to be adjusted as long as the patients have Class A disease.

Pharyngoesophageal reconstruction after resection of hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a new algorithm after analysis of 142 cases.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to define an algorithm for the choice of reconstructive method for defects after laryngo-pharyngo-esophagectomy for hypopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: One hundred and forty two cases of hypopharyngeal carcinoma were included and operated on by either partial pharyngectomy, total pharyngectomy or esophagectomy. The reconstructive method was tailored according to the resected segment. RESULTS: Pectoralis flap was used in 48 cases, free jejunal flap in 28 cases, augmented colon bypass in 4 cases, gastric pull up in 32 cases and gastric tube in 30 cases. Mean hospital stay was 12 days. Mortality rate was 10.6% and morbidity rate was 31.7%. Total flap failure occurred in 3 cases of free flap and one case of pectoralis flap. There were 23 cases of early fistula. Late stricture occurred in 19 cases, being highest with myocutaneous flap (early fistula 12/50 and late stricture 13/50). CONCLUSION: Free jejunal flap was the flap of choice for reconstruction when the safety margin is still above the clavicle. In cases with added esophagectomy, we recommend gastric tube as a method of choice for reconstruction.

Primary thyroid chondrosarcoma: a case report of an extremely rare malignancy.

INTRODUCTION: There are different types of malignant tumors that can affect the thyroid gland where differentiated thyroid carcinomas (papillary and follicular) are the most common representing nearly 90% of cases. Non-epithelial malignancies were also reported to affect the thyroid gland particularly lymphomas and sarcomas that were reported in literature to range from 0.01 to 1.5% of thyroid carcinoma. Herein, we present a case with primary thyroid chondrosarcoma, an extremely rare malignancy of the thyroid gland. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 79-year-old female patient complaining of hard thyroid swelling that was proved to be primary thyroid chondrosarcoma after histopathological assessment. CONCLUSION: Chondrosarcoma of the thyroid gland is extremely rare either in the primary or metastatic setting. Although the prognosis is bad, surgery is the main line of treatment after early prompt diagnosis.

Simultaneous Huge Splenic and Mesenteric Hydatid Cyst.

Hydatid disease (HD) is caused by Echinococcus granulosus and is endemic in many parts of the world. This parasitic tapeworm can produce cysts in almost every organ of the body, with the liver and lung being the most frequently targeted organs. The spleen and mesentery are unusual locations. We report a case of simultaneous huge splenic and mesenteric hydatid cyst in a 91-year-old male patient. The patient was presented with chronic abdominal pain, increased frequency of defecation, and typical history of animal contact (cattle, sheep, and dogs). After performing imaging studies, he was diagnosed with a simultaneous huge spleen and pelvic mesentery hydatid cyst that was managed surgically by splenectomy, pelvic mesenteric cyst deroofing, and partial cystectomy.

Thyroid cancer associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis: similarities and differences in an endemic area.

BACKGROUND: Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis and is the most common form of thyroid inflammatory diseases. The association of HT with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been described. PTC is the most common form of malignancy associated with HT. When papillary carcinoma develops on top of Hashimoto thyroiditis, the disease tends to be less aggressive and lymph node and extra-thyroidal invasion are infrequent. RESULTS: We retrospectively examined the pathological features of our patients who were diagnosed with concomitant HT and thyroid cancer. In Egyptian patients, PTC was the main type of malignancy associated with HT (96.2%) and was often multifocal (46.2%). In contrast to the published literature, lymph node invasion and extra-thyroidal extension were as frequent in association with HT as in other cancer cohorts. We also observed the frequent occurrence of Hürthle cell metaplasia (23.1%) and the appreciable incidence of aggressive histological types of PTC (32%). CONCLUSION: Thyroid carcinoma with HT may have some aggressive features in areas with endemic goiter background.

Axillary lymph nodes metastasis in a patient with recurrent papillary thyroid cancer: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy; the most common type of thyroid cancer is papillary thyroid cancer which accounts for approximately 90% of all thyroid cancers. Previously defined prognostic factors of papillary thyroid cancer include age, gender, tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, and distant metastasis. Cervical lymph node metastases are very common in patients with papillary thyroid cancer. Although papillary thyroid cancer has an excellent prognosis, lymphatic spread is associated with an increased risk of locoregional recurrence. Axillary metastasis is not a common finding in the classic type of papillary carcinoma; hence, a limited number of case reports have described the exceptional and rare metastatic spread of papillary thyroid carcinomas to the axilla. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of metastatic axillary lymphadenopathy in a 61-year-old Egyptian man with a recurrent papillary thyroid cancer. He had a history of total thyroidectomy with right radical neck dissection 18 months ago. He presented to our cancer clinic at the Oncology Centre -Mansoura University with recurrent mass at the right lower parotid region, left cervical lymphadenopathy and left axillary lymphadenopathy. Removal of the recurrent right intraparotid mass, left comprehensive neck dissection and left axillary dissection were performed and the postoperative pathology report showed infiltration of the cervical and axillary lymph nodes by metastatic papillary thyroid cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Axillary lymph node enlargement in a patient with papillary thyroid cancer should be considered metastatic from thyroid until proved otherwise. Careful thorough examination of patients with recurrent thyroid cancer is essential to address any unusual metastasis.

Psychiatric morbidity among Egyptian breast cancer patients and their partners and its impact on surgical decision-making.

INTRODUCTION: Psychiatric morbidities, especially cases of anxiety and depression, are prevalent among breast cancer patients and their partners. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-four early diagnosed breast cancer patients and their partners were compared with 50 healthy couples to assess psychiatric morbidity and the impact of various factors upon patients' surgical choice. RESULTS: It was found that 18.5%, 22.2%, and 3.7% of husbands had generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and panic disorder, respectively. It was also found that 38.8%, 29.6%, and 9.2% of the patients had major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, respectively. Depression and anxiety scores were high in both partners in love-based, well-adjusted marriages, within the middle socioeconomic class, and among educated couples. Among the well-known factors related to surgical treatment choice (age, parity, tumor size, pathology, grade, lymph node status), only age and psychological morbidity (in the patients and their partners) had a significant impact on treatment choice. CONCLUSION: Patients of middle socioeconomic class, the well educated, and those in love-based marriages had a higher likelihood of suffering different types of psychological morbidities and were more likely to choose breast conservation or reconstruction than mastectomy.

Metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma of the thyroid gland, a case report.

The thyroid gland is a known but an unusual site for metastatic tumors from various primary sites. Despite the fact that it is one of the largest vascular organs in the body, clinical and surgical cases have given an incidence of 3% of secondary malignances of the organ. Nevertheless, thyroid metastases are not an exceptional finding at autopsy, they are encountered in 2% to 24% of the patients with malignant neoplasm.Soft tissue sarcomas metastatic to the thyroid are extremely rare as the majority of thyroid metastasis are caused by tumors of the kidneys, lungs, mammary glands, ovaries , and colon or by melanomas.We report a case of 22-years-old woman with right leg rhabdomyosarcoma metastatic to the thyroid gland.