Predictive value of inflammatory markers for the spontaneous passage of Ureteral stones: a comprehensive systematic review with meta analysis.

Urolithiasis is a common disease that affects approximately one-fifth of the global population. This systematic review explores the predictive role of inflammatory markers for the spontaneous passage of ureteral stones. The literature was systematically searched via Google Scholar, PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases to identify papers published until 2023. Overall, 26 articles were identified, of which 10 were excluded. The remaining 16 papers reported 2,695 patients (1,723 males and 972 females), with 1,654 (61.37%) experiencing spontaneous stone passage (SSP) and 1,041 (38.63%) not experiencing it (non-SSP). Stones located in the upper part of the ureter were less likely to pass spontaneously (152/959, 15.94% in the SSP group vs. 180/546, 32.48% in the non-SSP group; p < 0.001). Mid-ureteral stones were present in 180/959 (18.75%) of the SSP group compared to 84/546 (14.52%) of the non-SSP group (p = 0.0974). Lower ureteral stones were more likely to pass spontaneously, with 627/959 (63.31%) in the SSP group compared to 282/546 (49.36%) in the non-SSP group (p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between most inflammatory markers and SSP (p > 0.05). However, procalcitonin levels were lower in the SSP group compared to the non-SSP group (132.7 ± 28.1 vs. 207 ± 145.1, respectively) (p < 0.001). This systematic review has revealed that except procalcitonin, most inflammatory markers do not offer significant predictive capability for ureteral SSP.

Hysteroscopic management of complete septate uterus with septate cervix, and longitudinal vaginal septum: a case report.

Mullerian anomalies occur as a result of errors during embryogenesis. The estimated incidence of these anomalies is around 1% in the general population and 3% in women complaining of suboptimal reproductive outcomes and infertility. A 21-year-old female patient was referred to our hospital due to primary infertility for 18 months. After a proper history, physical examination and further diagnostic steps, including ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, a diagnosis of complete septate uterus with septate cervix and longitudinal vaginal septum was made. Following hysteroscopic resection of all the septa and two cycles of ovulation induction, the patient was able to conceive. However, she needed cervical cerclage later due to cervical insufficiency. The baby was delivered at term and was healthy. A uterine, cervical and longitudinal vaginal septum is a unique entity of Mullerian anomalies. Resection of all septa through a hysteroscopic approach resulted in a good outcome for our patient.

Efficacy of ultrasound­guided platelet rich plasma injection for the management of de Quervain's tenosynovitis.

De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQT) is a painful stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, which may be refractory to conservative treatments. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for the management of DQT. For this purpose, from January, 2020 to February, 2021, 12 patients with DQT who received the US-guided PRP injection were studied prospectively. All patients were evaluated clinically for pain intensity using the visual analog scale and sonographically prior to treatment. The patients were followed-up at 1 and 3 months after the procedure to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment. In total, 12 hands of 12 female patients with DQT were analyzed in the present study. The post-treatment clinical evaluation revealed complete recovery in 4 (33.3%) of the patients, and 6 (50%) of them had recovered and returned to their daily activities. The sonographic evaluation revealed a significant reduction in the mean retinaculum thickness from 1.84 to 1.069 mm, and mean tendon sheath effusion from 2.06 to 1.25 mm, with only 58% of the cases having tendon sheath effusion at 3 months post-treatment. On the whole, the findings of the present study demonstrate that US-guided PRP injection with needle tenotomy can be used as an alternative non-surgical therapy for patients who do not respond to conventional conservative treatments, particularly in cases with sub-compartmentalization. The use of US may play a crucial role in the treatment of DQT, as improved clinical outcomes can be obtained with US-guided injections, particularly in cases with sub-compartmentalization.

Clinical, microbiological, immunological and hormonal profiles of patients with granulomatous mastitis.

Various studies on the etiology and other aspects of granulomatous mastitis (GM) have been performed; however, a lot of controversies have arisen. The present study aimed to present the clinicopathological findings and identify the sensitivity and resistance of isolated bacteria in patients with GM. In this cross-sectional study 63 female patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of GM were included. A core needle biopsy was conducted for the patients to obtain a sample for histopathological examination and bacterial culture. In total, 46 types of antibiotics were used to determine the sensitivity and resistance of each isolated bacterial species. All the medical and clinical records of the patients were acquired through the completion of a questionnaire form in person or, if necessary, through the evaluation of their medical records in the database of the relevant center. The majority of the patients were in the premenopausal or perimenopausal period. GM was unilateral in 58.7% of the patients. The most common symptom was pain, followed by fever and chills. The mean ranges of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-17, C5a, white blood count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and prolactin tests were significantly elevated in comparison to the normal ranges. In total, nine different bacterial species were isolated from the bacterial culture of the core biopsy samples, and 50% of the isolated bacterial species were sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Since there is no consensus on the etiology of GM, any additional studies related to this aspect expand the current understanding of this puzzling condition.

Giant sacrococcygeal teratoma in an infant: a case report with a literature review.

Introduction and importance: A sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a rare embryonal tumor that emerges in the sacrococcygeal area. It affects one in every 35 000-40 000 live births. Herein, we report a case of a substantial SCT in a neonate. Case presentation: A neonate girl from consanguineous parents was delivered by cesarean section with a large mass (18×17 cm) in the sacrococcygeal area. The baby's birth weight was 5 kg, of which 2.5 belonged to the mass. The vital signs were within normal ranges and she had weak movement with bluish peripheral limbs. Oxygen saturation was around 85% for a short period after birth. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Surgical Section, the tumor was type I. After the fifth day of delivery, a complete resection was done through a chevron incision. The patient was put on 'nil by mouth' for about 24 h and given intravenous fluid. Clinical discussion: The histopathological examination of the surgical specimen confirmed extragonadal immature teratoma. The histological classification of SCT is divided into three types: malignant teratomas (consisting of malignant germ cells); immature teratomas (incompletely differentiated structures with a high risk of malignancy or embryonal components); and mature teratomas (fully differentiated tissues). Conclusion: SCT has rarely been reported as a giant mass. Radiologic examinations in the early stages of pregnancy may be essential to the early diagnosis of the condition.

The clinical safety of generic and brand clopidogrel in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

Although some recent studies have found that original and generic clopidogrel brands are acceptable and have the same pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, there is insufficient evidence to compare the clinical effectiveness and safety of brand and generic clopidogrel. The current study aims to evaluate the clinical safety of brand and generic clopidogrel by comparing clinical outcomes in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Method: This was a single centre, parallel-arm, phase III, open-label, and randomized group sequential trial. It was conducted to compare the clinical safety of a brand and three generic clopidogrel forms in patients who have undergone CEA. All enrolled subjects were treated perioperatively with dual antiplatelet (aspirin and clopidogrel). The involved participants were assigned randomly into four groups based on the type of clopidogrel. Safety parameters were measured, including haematoma, blood draining from drainage, mouth deviation, tongue deviation, and stroke. SPSS software was used to perform the data analysis. Results: The trial included 80 patients in total (20 patients per group). Thirty-one (38.8%) patients were male. The mean age of patients was 65.6 years (49-79). Eighteen (22.5%) patients had a history of previous coronary intervention, and seventeen (21.3%) had symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Overall, Plavix or Piax combined with aspirin were linked to better clinical safety than the other two generic clopidogrel, as the amount of bleeding was nearly two times lower in patients treated with Plavix or Piax (270±92.39 and 271.5±80.60, respectively) compared to PlavigrelAwa or Plavineer (505.7±169.1 and 496.5±174.6, respectively) (P≤0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed diversity in clinical safety of different clopidogrel formulations that were provided perioperatively in CEA patients.

Avascular necrosis of femoral head following COVID-19 infection.

Introduction: It is crucial to be aware of post-COVID-19 non-pulmonary complications. Avascular necrosis (AVN) is one of these complications. It should be noted that the risk of AVN persists in individuals who have recovered from the COVID-19 infection. The current study aims to report several cases of AVN after being infected with SARS-CoV-2. Materials and methods: This is a single-centre retrospective case series conducted over a 2-year period (January 2021-December 2022) involving individuals who developed AVN after being infected with COVID-19. Result: The study included a total of 17 patients. The mean age of patients was 38.65±6.1 years. Twelve of them were male (70.6%) and five were female (29.4%), with a ratio of 3:1. The mean BMI of the patients was 28.3±2.4 kg/m2. Eleven (64.7%) patients reported administering steroid injections throughout the infection course. The mean interval between COVID-19 infection and presentation to the clinic was 6.53 months. The majority of patients (82.3%) complained of bilateral hip pain. Limping was observed in 47% of the cases. MRI showed AVN in all cases. Bilateral core decompression was performed in five cases (29.4%), total hip replacement in three cases (17.6%), and conservative treatment in nine cases (53%). Conclusion: The ongoing pandemic may have many long-term sequelae. There is a risk of developing AVN after COVID-19.

Whole­body MRI for metastatic workup in patients diagnosed with cancer.

Early diagnosis and appropriate staging workup are crucial for cancer patients. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) has been proposed as another practical whole-body approach for assessing local invasiveness and distant metastases in patients newly diagnosed with cancer. The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of WB-MRI in assessing metastasis in patients newly diagnosed with cancer using histopathologic data as the reference method. A prospective observational study was performed from April 2018 to July 2020. MRI sequences were utilized to acquire anatomical and functional images in three orthogonal planes. The discovery was classified as nodal, skeletal and visceral metastases. Patient-based analysis was used for visceral metastasis and region-based for skeletal, systemic and lymph node metastases. A total of 43 consecutive patients (mean age, 56±15.2 years) were assessed successively. In 41 patients, there was a concordance between the WB-MRI and histological confirmation. The most prevalent site of metastasis was the skeletal system (18 patients). There were 12 individuals with liver metastasis, 10 with lung metastasis and 4 with peritoneal metastasis, with just one brain metastatic lesion found. On WB-MRI, 38 lymph node groups were deemed positive. Out of the total, 66 skeletal locations contained metastases. The accuracy of WB-MRI for nodal, skeletal and visceral metastases was (98.45, 100 and 100%, respectively). In conclusion, WB-MRI in three orthogonal planes, including the diffusion-weighted MRI with background body signal suppression sequence, may be utilized efficiently and accurately for assessing metastasis staging and may thus be utilized in patients with newly diagnosed cancer.

The role of inflammatory serum markers and ureteral wall thickness on spontaneous passage of ureteral stone < 10 mm: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Ureteral stone is a worldwide disease and accounts for 20% of all urolithiasis. There is a widespread discussion on the preferred initial treatment method, whether medical or surgical, and each has its pros and cons. In this study, we aimed to assess the role of both ureteral wall thickness around the stone and inflammatory markers in guiding the decision-making process. Methods: In this prospective study, 161 patients who presented with ureteric colic and were diagnosed with ureteral stone with NCCT were included. UWT around the stone was measured, and the NLR and PLR were calculated. The patients were given a single daily dose of tamsulosin 0.4 mg for 4 weeks with weekly follow-up to determine SSP or failure. Results: Of the 161 patients with a mean age 40.12 ± 12.36 SD, 55.9% had a spontaneous stone passage. Receiver operating characteristics showed a cut off value of 2.45 mm UWT of non SSP patients with an 83% sensitivity and 86% specificity. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between higher NLR, PLR and increased UWT (Pearson correlation of 0.314 and 0.426 respectively). The combined higher NLR, PLR and increased UWT were associated with failure of SSP (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: Many factors play a role in decision making for management of ureteral stones. Our study concludes that patients with high NLR, PLR, and UWT around the stone have lesser chance of SSP using MET. Their rise can be used as predictors to decide early intervention.

Simultaneous pituitary and adrenal adenomas in a patient with non ACTH dependent Cushing syndrome; a case report with literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Cushing syndrome is a rare disorder with a variety of underlying etiologies, that can be exogenous or endogenous (adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent or ACTH-independent). The current study aims to report a case of ACTH-independent Cushing syndrome with adrenal adenoma and nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old female presented with amenorrhea for the last year, associated with weight gain. She had a moon face, buffalo hump, and central obesity. A 24-hour urine collection for cortisol was performed, revealed elevated cortisol. Cortisol level was non-suppressed after administering dexamethasone. MRI of the pituitary region revealed a pituitary microadenoma, and the CT scan of the abdomen with adrenal protocol revealed a left adrenal adenoma. DISCUSSION: Early diagnosis may be postponed due to the variety of clinical presentations and the referral of the patient to different subspecialists based on their dominant symptoms (gynecological, dermatological, cardiovascular, psychiatric); it is, therefore, critical to consider the entire clinical presentation for correct diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Due to the diversity in the presentation of CS, an accurate clinical, physical and endocrine examination is always recommended.

Mixed germ cell tumor of sacrococcygeal region; A case report with literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Mixed germ cell tumors are uncommon tumors that contain two or more types of malignant, primitive, or germ cell components. This study aims to report a rare case of extragonadal mixed germ cell tumor of the sacrococcygeal area. CASE REPORT: A 4-year-old female presented with lower back swelling for two weeks. It was associated with pain and fever. Investigations showed elevated Alpha-fetoprotein and normal beta HCG levels. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large well defined heterogeneous mass at the midline of the lower coccygeal region, which displaced the rectum anteriorly without invasion. Surgical dissection of the mass with excision of the coccyx was performed. Afterward, the patient was referred to an oncology center for chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: The emergence of extragonadal germ cell tumors may be caused by a disruption in the migration of primordial germ cells along the urogenital ridge, which then undergo a malignant transformation as a consequence of their microenvironment. Another idea states that extragonadal germ cell tumors occur when germ cells that routinely migrate into the extragonadal region during embryogenesis undergo malignant transformation.

Accelerated heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in a COVID-19 patient; a case report with literature review.

Introduction: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare and serious immune-mediated complication of heparin therapy which is seldom reported in association with COVID-19. This report aims to present a case of accelerated HIT in a severe COVID-19 patient. Case report: A 63-year-old man presents with symptoms of COVID-19 for one week. He was conscious, ordinated, feverish, and had diffused chest crackles. Initial laboratory tests revealed elevated C-reactive protein of 87.66 mg/dL, elevated D-dimmer of 1258.9 ng/ml, elevated ferritin of 1020 ng/ml, and his platelet count was within the normal range. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed the diagnosis of COVID-19. On the 9th day of admission, he developed a progressive worsening of dyspnea. His D-dimmer level significantly increased to 7020 ng/ml, and his interleukin-6 was 27.3 pg/ml. Hence, we started him on unfractionated heparin (UFH) for thromboprophylaxis. On the 12th day of hospitalization, the platelet count dropped from 258000 to 111000 cells/µL. He had a high probability of HIT (4Ts score = 6). As a result, we discontinued UFH and switched him to apixaban. His platelet count normalized (174000 cells/µL) within two weeks of ceasing UHF. Discussion: HIT results from the production of antibodies against platelet factor 4/heparin complexes. It is associated with a diminished platelet count within 5-10 days post heparin initiation. Because thrombocytopenia can occur in COVID-19 patients, HIT is seldom suspected. Conclusion: HIT should be considered a differential diagnosis in COVID-19 patients with thrombocytopenia.

Pattern of facial nerve palsy during parotidectomy: a single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to report and analyze the prevalence of permanent facial nerve paralysis following parotidectomy for various benign and malignant lesions in a single center. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included all patients who underwent parotidectomy (total and superficial) for benign and malignant tumors and chronic inflammatory diseases during a 6-year period. Patients who had previously undergone an operation of the parotid gland and those with preoperative facial weakness were excluded. RESULTS: The study included 127 patients ranging in age from 14 to 83 years (median, 45.89 years). Most patients were female (n = 83, 65.4%). The most prevalent procedure was superficial parotidectomy (n = 117, 92.1%), followed by total parotidectomy (n = 6, 4.7%). The average operative duration was 138 minutes (range, 80-400 minutes). Histopathology revealed that 109 (85.8%) patients had benign tumors, 14 (11.0%) had malignant tumors, and 4 (3.1%) had chronic sialadenitis. Only two patients sustained an injury to the cervical branch of the facial nerve. CONCLUSION: In this single-center experience of parotid surgery, the rates of transient and permanent facial paralysis were acceptably low at 9.0% and 1.6%, respectively, for all pathologies.

COVID-19 associated with pulmonary mucormycosis; a case series.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has evolved as a result of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). With the rise of cases worldwide, plenty of potential COVID-19 complications have emerged, including increased susceptibility to subsequent bacterial and fungal infections. This study aims to report four cases of COVID-19 associated with pulmonary mucormycosis. Method: This is a multi-center case series study. Diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Result: A total of 4 patients infected with SARS-CoV2 were involved in this study. The majority of the cases were female, aged >42 years old. All patients developed severe symptoms. All of the patients had received steroids, half of them had co-morbidities. The most common computerized tomography (CT) scan findings were pulmonary cavitation and empyema. All of the cases were treated with a combination of surgery and antifungal treatment. Conclusion: As the number of COVID-19 cases rises, enhanced surveillance for co-infections with unusual pathogens should be continued. Clinicians should raise awareness of these deadly infections, which can further aggravate severe COVID-19.

The relationship between CT severity infections and oxygen saturation in patients infected with COVID-19, a cohort study.

Introduction: Thin-section chest computed tomography is an important diagnostic test and utilized to determine the severity of lung involvement in COVID-19 pneumonia. The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between CT severity and the oxygen saturation level of individuals with COVID-19. Method: This is a single-center retrospective study of COVID-19 patients that were admitted at a COVID-19 hospital. Patients confirming COVID-19 with PCR testing, patients undergoing lung CT-scan and measures of capillary oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry at the time of admission were all included. Result: The total number of the cases were 105. The age was classified into four age groups, with the majority of them falling into the fourth to sixth decade of life (42, 40%). Diabetes was the most common comorbidity disease (29, 27.6%). Pulse oximetry showed hypoxemia in 87 (82.9%) cases. The most common CT finding was ground glass opacities (GGO) (45, 42.9%). The data showed a significant positive correlation between oxygen saturation and CT severity in patients infected with covid-19. Conclusion: These findings support the importance of using pulse oximetry to monitor COVID-19 patients in order to evaluate or even estimate their clinical situations.

Post COVID-19 neurological complications; a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Despite numerous studies regarding neurological manifestations and complications of COVID-19, only a few cases of neurological consequences following complete recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection have been described. Objectives: The current study aims to present a quantitative meta-analysis of published studies regarding the post-infectious neurological complications of COVID-19. Data sources: The Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE on OVID, and Google scholar were searched for English-language researches published after January 1, 2020. Result: The review of the literature revealed 60 cases - of which 40 (66.7%) cases were male, and 18 (30%) were female. The average age was 44.95 years. Overall, 17 (28.3%) patients had comorbid conditions. Twenty-four (40%) patients were hospitalized during an active COVID-19 infection. The average interval from the COVID-19 infection to the onset of neurological sequelae was 33.2 days. Guillain-Barre syndrome was the most commonly reported neurological condition (15, 25%). Conclusion: Despite recovery from acute infection, the pandemic highlights the significance of ongoing, comprehensive follow-up of all COVID-19 patients - even those initially were believed to be asymptomatic.

Post COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis; a meta-analysis study.

Introduction; Pulmonary fibrosis is a frequently reported COVID-19 sequela in which the exact prevalence and risk factors are yet to be established. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the prevalence of post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis (PCPF) and the potential risk factors. Methods; CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched to identify English language studies published up to December 3, 2021. Results; The systematic search initially revealed a total of 618 articles - of which only 13 studies reporting 2018 patients were included in this study. Among the patients, 1047 (51.9%) were male and 971 (48.1%) were female. The mean age was 54.5 years (15-94). The prevalence of PCPF was 44.9%. The mean age was 59 years in fibrotic patients and 48.5 years in non-fibrotic patients. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was the only comorbidity associated with PCPF. Fibrotic patients more commonly suffered from persistent symptoms of dyspnea, cough, chest pain, fatigue, and myalgia (p-value < 0.05). Factors related to COVID-19 severity that were associated with PCPF development included computed tomography score of ≥18, ICU admission, invasive/non-invasive mechanical ventilation, longer hospitalization period, and steroid, antibiotic and immunoglobulin treatments (p-value < 0.05). Parenchymal bands (284/341), ground-glass opacities (552/753), interlobular septal thickening (220/381), and consolidation (197/319) were the most common lung abnormalities found in fibrotic patients. Conclusion, About 44.9% of COVID-19 survivors appear to have developed pulmonary fibrosis. Factors related to COVID-19 severity were significantly associated with PCPF development.

Simultaneous Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome and Leydig Cell Tumor in a Patient with Azoospermia: A Rare Case Report.

Testicular cancers comprise 1-1.5% of entire cancers in men, and sex cord-stromal tumors include 5% of testicular cancers. This study aims to report a simultaneous Sertoli cell-only syndrome and Leydig cell tumor in the same patient. A 32-year-old man presented with a history of primary infertility for 3 years. Physical examination revealed normal secondary sexual characteristics. Two successive seminal fluid analyses revealed azoospermia. A scrotal ultrasound scan showed a 28 × 27 mm hypoechoic and hypervascular right testicular mass. Right radical orchiectomy and simultaneous left testicular biopsy were conducted. The histopathological examination revealed Sertoli cell-only syndrome and Leydig cell tumor with focal Leydig cell hyperplasia. Reversing fertility following the management of Leydig cell tumor is rarely mentioned in the literature. A study revealed that fertility recovered following 4 months of management in a primary infertile male. However, infertile men with nonobstructive azoospermia due to SCOS can only have a child by testicular sperm extraction technique. Despite the rare occurrence of Leydig cell tumor, it could be seen in association with Sertoli cell-only syndrome in infertile men with azoospermia. Clinical examination and imaging studies are important in these patients as the possibility of having a testicular mass is high among them.

False-positive HIV in a patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection; a case report.

INTRODUCTION: A small portion of Corona Virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases associated with co-infections, however occasionally they turn out to be false positive due to possible cross-reactivities. The current report aims to present a rare case of false-positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a COVID-19 patient. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old female complaining from thyroid problems referred for thyroid operation. She had mild symptoms of COVID-19. Her preoperative laboratory findings were normal, except for HIV screening test which was repetitively positive. RNA PCR was performed to confirm the diagnosis of HIV, it revealed a negative result. The patient underwent thyroidectomy as planned and was given the required supportive treatment to recover from COVID-19. Two-month follow up revealed that she was negative for COVID-19 on PCR testing, and HIV immunoassay test was no longer positive. DISCUSSION: Due to structural similarities between the spike protein chains of SARS-CoV-2 and some other viruses such as dengue, Zika, and other closely related coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV), the protein can potentially interfere with the immunoassay tests. Although HIV immunoassay tests have high sensitivity and specificity, false-positive results have been reported, such as in the case of Epstein Barr virus, Influenza vaccination, and the Australian COVID-19 vaccination. CONCLUSION: Similarity between HIV and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins can lead to antibody cross-reactivities, yielding false-positive results on immunoassay screening tests.

Intermammary breast cancer; the first reported case.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer among females. The current study aims to report and discuss a rare case of breast cancer in the intermammary region. CASE REPORT: A 61-year-old lady presented with intermammary swelling for three months. Ultrasound examination showed a hypoechoic micro lobulated mass with internal vascularity seated on the chest wall. There was pathological lymphnodes in the right axilla. Core needle biopsy suspected invasive ductal carcinoma of no specific type. The patient was referred to an oncology center receiving 21 cycles of radiotherapy and hormonal therapy. DISCUSSION: The most common site of the occurrence of breast cancer is the upper outer quadrant (found in one-third of patients), followed by the upper inner quadrant (9.4%)-both lower outer and inner quadrants (5.2%) and rarely in the central portion. Intermammary breast cancer is an infrequent finding. CONCLUSION: Although it is extremely rare, breast cancer could occur in the intermammary region. It has the same management strategy as breast cancer.