Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Histopathological analysis of metabolic associated fatty liver disease and fibrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and cholelithiasis are highly prevalent and are associated with common risk factors such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and fasting glucose levels; however, it is not clear whether cholelithiasis is associated with MAFLD or fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: To determine MAFLD severity and associated risk factors in patients diagnosed with cholelithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional and prolective study (from October 2018 to March 2020) of patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy with liver biopsy, excluding other causes of hepatic disease or significant alcohol consumption. MAFLD detection was based on histology using the Kleiner score and one of the following criteria: overweight/obesity, T2DM, or evidence of metabolic dysregulation. The AST to Platelet Ratio Index, the NAFLD Fibrosis Score, the fibrosis-4 index and the hepatic steatosis index were performed to assess the relationship of non-invasive hepatic scores with histopathology. RESULTS: 80 patients median age (interquartile range) was 42 (18) years, with a BMI of 27.9 (6.11) Kg/m2. Of all patients, 58.8% had MAFLD, 78.7% were women, and 13.8% had the severe form (formerly named NASH). No substantial correlation between biochemical parameters and histopathological analysis of MAFLD and fibrosis was observed. CONCLUSION: Because cholelithiasis and MAFLD are highly prevalent diseases, it is essential to conduct studies on the relationship between both pathologies. Currently, liver biopsy is the best diagnostic method since the predictive biochemical models did not show a substantial correlation to classify MAFLD. Its early detection is relevant since a considerable percentage of advanced fibrosis (8.7%) was found.

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Survival of Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence, related risk factors, and survival of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in a Mexican population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study at Medica Sur Hospital in Mexico City with approval of the local research ethics committee. We found cases by reviewing all clinical records of in-patients between October 2005 and January 2016 who had been diagnosed with malignant liver tumors. Clinical characteristics and comorbidities were obtained to evaluate the probable risk factors and the Charlson index. The cases were staged based on the TNM staging system for bile duct tumors used by the American Joint Committee on Cancer and median patient survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: We reviewed 233 cases of hepatic cancer. Amongst these, hepatocellular carcinomas represented 19.3% (n = 45), followed by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, which accounted for 7.7% (n = 18). The median age of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was 63 years, and most of them presented with cholestasis and intrahepatic biliary ductal dilation. Unfortunately, 89% (n = 16) of them were in an advanced stage and 80% had multicentric tumors. Median survival was 286 days among patients with advanced stage tumors (25th-75th interquartile range, 174-645 days). No correlation was found between the presence of comorbidities defined by the Charlson index, and survival. We evaluated the presence of definite and probable risk factors for the development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, that is, smoking, alcohol consumption, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. DISCUSSION: We found an overall prevalence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma of 7.7%; unfortunately, these patients were diagnosed at advanced stages. Smoking and primary sclerosing cholangitis were the positive risk factors for its development in this population.

Cystic angiosarcoma of the liver. A previously undescribed neoplasm.

 We report an example of a cystic hepatic angiosarcoma that to our knowledge has not been previously described. The patient was a 70 year old woman who was admitted to the emergency room because of hypovolemic shock. A computed tomography showed four heterogeneous hepatic cystic masses varying from 2.5 to 11.2 cm; one of these with rupture and formation of a subcapsular hematoma. The cyst wall was lined by several layers of neoplastic epithelioid and spindle shaped endothelial cells that in some areas extended to the underlying stroma. They expressed CD31 and CD34, and were negative for cytokeratin. The patient is alive with residual hepatic cystic angiosarcoma. However, follow up is too short to be significant.

Papillary in situ and intramucosal adenocarcinoma of the lower third of common bile duct. A report and review of the literature.

We report the case of a 37-year-old woman with no relevant medical history. She was admitted to the hospital for epigastric pain related with food intake for 4 days; the pain did not improve with symptomatic management. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to acute lithiasic cholecystitis was performed. However, after 4 days, postoperative painless jaundice was evident; thus, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed, which revealed an amputation of intrapancreatic common bile duct, as well as secondary intra- and extrahepatic bile duct dilatation. Brushing of the distal portion of the common bile duct revealed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Therefore, a Whipple procedure with pylorus preservation was performed. Pathologic diagnosis of a papillary in situ adenocarcinoma with two microscopic foci of microinvasion was established. The pathologic Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage was pT1, pN0, pM0, R0. The patient is asymptomatic and disease-free 24 months after surgery. In general, adenocarcinomas of the extrahepatic bile ducts are uncommon and have a poor prognosis. However, symptomatic patients with early disease stages are even rarer and can be cured surgically.

The nuclear receptor FXR, but not LXR, up-regulates bile acid transporter expression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have increased plasmatic and hepatic concentrations of bile acids (BA), suggesting that they can be associated with the progression of the disease. Hepatic nuclear receptors are known to modulate genes controlling BA metabolism; thus, in this work we aimed to compare the expression of liver nuclear receptors -farnesoid X (FXR), small heterodimer partner (SHP) and liver X alpha (LXRα) receptors- and BA transporters -sodium+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) and bile salt export pump (BSEP)- in liver biopsy samples of patients with simple steatosis (SS) and NASH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty patients with biopsy-proven NALFD were enrolled between 2009 and 2012; liver biopsies were classified as SS (N = 20) or NASH (N = 20) according to the NAFLD activity score. Gene expression of nuclear FXR, LXRα, SHP, NTCP and BSEP was analyzed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and protein level was quantified by western blot. RESULTS: Gene expression of FXR, SHP, NTCP and BSEP was significantly up-regulated in the NASH group in comparison with SS patients (P < 0.05). In contrast, protein level for FXR, SHP and NTCP was decreased in the NASH patients vs. the SS group (P < 0.05). Gene and protein profile of LXRα did not show differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that liver nuclear receptors (FXR and SHP) and BA transporters (NTCP and BSEP) are associated with the progression of NAFLD.

Cystadenomas of the liver and extrahepatic bile ducts: Morphologic and immunohistochemical characterization of the biliary and intestinal variants.

Cystadenomas of the liver and extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBD) are uncommon but distinctive neoplasms whose terminology and epithelial phenotype have been a source of controversy. We reviewed 20 cases, 16 arising in the liver and 4 in the EHBD. Eighteen patients were women, with a mean age of 36.5 years. Eighteen tumors were multiloculated and 2 were unilocular. The tumor size ranged from 4 to 29 cm (average, 11 cm). The cyst fluid in 13 tumors was described as serous, in 2 as clear, in 2 others as hemorrhagic, and in 1 as serous and mucinous. Only in 2 tumors was the fluid described as mucinous. In 18 cystadenomas, the predominant epithelial lining consisted of a single layer of cuboidal or low-columnar nondysplastic cells similar to those of the gallbladder or bile ducts. This epithelial lining was strongly positive for cytokeratins 7 and 19, and focally positive for MUC1. Only 2 cystadenomas showed predominant intestinal differentiation characterized by mature goblet cells and columnar absorptive cells. These cells expressed CDX2, MUC2, and cytokeratin 20. Admixed with the goblet and columnar cells, there were serotonin-containing cells and Paneth cells. These 2 tumors showed extensive areas of high-grade dysplasia and invasive adenocarcinoma with intestinal phenotype. A subepithelial ovarian-like stroma was present in all tumors. None of the patients died of the tumors. We believe that the term mucinous cystic tumor recommended by the World Health Organization for all cystadenomas of the liver and EHBD is a misnomer.

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors. Survey of 8 cases from a single Mexican medical institution.

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) is a morphologically heterogeneous soft tissue and bone neoplasm, producing a paraneoplastic syndrome due to phosphate wasting. These tumors produce fibroblast growth factor 23, which is implicated in renal tubule phosphate loss. Medical records of patients seen from 1999 to 2013 with osteomalacia associated or not with a tumor were reviewed. Clinical and laboratory data, radiographic studies, and follow-up of 8 patients were tabulated. Histologic features and the immunoprofile of the tumors were analyzed. There were 208 patients with osteomalacia, but only 8 (3.84%) had osteomalacia associated with a tumor. The median age of the patients was 40 years. The tumor size ranged from 1.5 to 4 cm. Five were located in soft tissues and skin; and 3, in bones. Osteomalacia symptoms lasted from 2 to 14 years with a median of 6 years. Laboratory data showed hypophosphatemia and phosphaturia in all patients. All tumors were histologically benign. Histologically, the salient features were a hemangiopericytoid pattern, chronic hemorrhage, and microcystic areas. All neoplasms were diffusely positive for vimentin and focally positive for epithelial membrane antigen, CD34, and S-100 protein. Ki-67 was positive in approximately 10% of neoplastic cells in 2 cases and less than 1% in the remainder. We report 8 cases of PMTs producing osteomalacia, from a single third-level Mexican medical institution. These tumors occurred in soft tissues, skin, and bones. All tumors were benign, small, not easily detected by physical examination and diagnosed due to the metabolic abnormalities.

Bone metastases as the initial presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma. Two case reports and a literature review.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver and is the fifth most common cancer in the world; its incidence has been increasing in recent years. Extrahepatic spread is present at the time of diagnosis in only about 5 to 15% of patients. Skeletal metastasis of HCC occurs less frequently compared with other cancers and is considered a rare primary form of presentation. We report two cases of unsuspected HCC presenting with multiple bone lesions as the initial presentation. The first patient was a 76-year-old man with symptoms of fatigue and back pain. The PET-CT revealed the hypercaptant bone lesions and a liver lesion. The pathology report showed that the metastases were positive for the hepatic marker HEPAR-1, indicating that they had originated from the HCC. The second patient was a 56-year-old man. He presented to the emergency department for right shoulder pain and weakness of the entire right arm with no history of trauma. During hospitalization, the patient became quadriplegic. MRI revealed osseous blastic lesions in the cervical vertebrae and right shoulder. A CT-guided biopsy was performed in the cervical lesion and showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry staining was positive for HEPAR-1. In conclusion, this cases show an unusual presentation of HCC with skeletal metastasis.

Association of urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis with papillary and medullary thyroid carcinomas. A new sporadic neoplastic syndrome?

We describe 2 adult women (72 and 54 years), 1 with a low-grade noninvasive papillary urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis, who 14 years later developed a papillary carcinoma in 1 thyroid lobe and a medullary carcinoma in the contralateral lobe. Both neoplasms were similar in size and appeared symmetrical. Despite its small size, the medullary carcinoma metastasized in multiple cervical lymph nodes. The second patient had a high-grade invasive papillary urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis that infiltrated the renal parenchyma and metastasized in one of the lungs. Five months later, a papillary carcinoma was discovered in the thyroid gland. The 2 papillary thyroid carcinomas were of the follicular variant. Adjacent to 1 papillary carcinoma, there was a dominant nodule of a colloid and adenomatous goiter. The medullary carcinoma contained stromal amyloid and was immunoreactive for calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen. There was no C-cell hyperplasia (medullary carcinoma in situ). The 2 patients are alive, 1 is living with pulmonary metastasis from the high-grade urothelial carcinoma. Twelve cases of this neoplastic association were registered in the Survey, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 1980 to 2009. We believe that the combination of these unusual neoplasms in the same patient may represent a new sporadic neoplastic syndrome.

Granulomatous hepatitis caused by Q fever: a differential diagnosis of fever of unknown origin.

The differential diagnosis of fever of unknown origin (FUO) includes infectious, neoplastic, rheumaticinflammatory and miscellaneous diseases. We report the case of a 35-year-old man with FUO caused by Q fever. A liver biopsy showed the characteristic fibrin-ring lipogranulomas compatible with Q fever. The serologic tests confirmed the diagnosis of acute infection by Coxiella burnetii. The therapeutic response was excellent. In conclusion, we described a patient with acute Q fever and granulomatous hepatitis.

Hepatolithiasis with secondary cholangitis and supernumerary left hepatic lobe.

We report the case of a 31-year old woman with recurrent cholangitis secondary to hepatolithiasis. The stones were composed of calcium bilirubinate. The patient also had a supernumerary hepatic lobe connected to the inferior aspect of the segment III of the liver. The role of the supernumerary hepatic lobe in the development of hepatolithiasis is unclear and may be coincidental.

Mucinous cystadenoma of the pyelocaliceal system: a report of 3 examples and an analysis of 17 previously published cases.

We report 3 patients all men between 45 and 64 years of age with unilocular or multilocular mucinous cystadenomas of the kidney. One tumor arose from the renal pelvis, and 2 involved the entire pyelocaliceal system. The tumors measured between 2.4 and 37 cm in greatest dimension. Two patients were asymptomatic, and 1 had recurrent attack of acute pyelonephritis. Microscopically, the morphology and immunophenotype (CK20, MUC2, and CDX2 positive) of the tumors were similar to the colonic adenomas. Two patients were asymptomatic 24 and 64 months after surgery, including the patient with mucinous cystadenoma and intramucosal carcinoma. One patient died of acute myocardial infarction, and his tumor was an autopsy finding. Only 17 cases of mucinous cystadenomas and 5 cases of mucinous cystadenocarcinomas have been reported. Of the 17 mucinous cystadenomas, 2 arose in horseshoe kidneys. The mean size of these neoplasms was 15 cm (2.4-37 cm). Despite their large size, some patients with mucinous cystadenomas were asymptomatic. Sixty percent were associated with renal lithiasis. Thirty percent progressed to mucinous adenocarcinomas, and only 2 cases showed areas of intramucosal carcinomas. Two cases were associated with carcinoid tumors, similar to those reported in the appendix. Most patients were asymptomatic after surgery, and only 1 patient died by abdominal sepsis related to adenomucinosis. The 3 examples of mucinous cystadenomas of the pyelocaliceal system reported here, and those previously published indicate that they are very uncommon neoplasms with morphology and intestinal immunophenotype similar to the colonic adenomas.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the liver.

 Hepatic inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are uncommon low grade malignant neoplasms. They can be confused clinically and by imaging studies with abscess.

Thyroid-like cholangiocarcinoma of the liver: an unusual morphologic variant with follicular, trabecular and insular patterns.

We report the case of a 26-year-old woman with a 19 cm malignant hepatic neoplasm with morphological features that closely resembled a follicular thyroid carcinoma. Despite this, it was interpreted as a cholangiocarcinoma due to the absence of a primary thyroid tumor and the lack of thyroglobulin and TTF-1 immunoreactivity by the hepatic tumor. The left hepatic lobectomy specimen showed an encapsulated and multinodular gray-white mass with cystic and hemorrhagic areas. Microscopically, it displayed predominant macro and microfolicullar patterns with focal solid, trabecular and insular areas. The small and distended follicles contained a colloid-like secretion and were lined by low cuboidal cells with scant cytoplasm, round or oval hyperchromatic nuclei with fine chromatin. The solid areas, trabecular and insular structures were similar to those of follicular or papillary thyroid carcinomas. In addition, some of the neoplastic cells had clear nuclei with occasional grooves. The tumor was positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, CK 19 and CD138, and negative for TTF-1, thyroglobulin, Hepar-1, Glypican-3, alpha-fetoprotein and neuroendocrine markers. A thyroid neoplasm was excluded clinically and by ultrasound and computed tomography. Although, the residual hepatic parenchyma was initially not cirrhotic, the patient eventually developed cryptogenic cirrhosis. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and died of metastatic disease 18 months after surgery. The thyroid-like pattern broadens the morphologic spectrum of cholangiocarcinoma.

Multiple venous and arterial thromboses of the gallbladder causing acute cholecystitis. A previously undescribed complication of essential thrombocythemia.

Well established complications of essential thrombocythemia are multiple thrombohemorrhagic phenomena in various abdominal organs. We describe the case of a 22 year old man with essential thrombocythemia and thrombosis of the mesenteric and splenic veins as well as cavernomatous transformation of the portal vein. The patient also had a splenic infarction and a subphrenic hematoma. Additionally, he developed signs and symptoms of acute cholecystitis which in turn led to an open cholecystectomy. The gallbladder had a markedly thickened wall due to multiple recent and recanalized thrombi predominantly in subserosal veins. Only a few arteries were occluded by thrombi. A marked vascular proliferation in the subserosal connective tissue mimicking a hemangioma was most likely the result of collateral circulation. There was also a mild acute and chronic inflammatory infiltrate and edema in the lamina propria of the gallbladder. Hyperplasia of interstitial cells of Cajal in the lamina propria and between smooth muscle cells and proliferation of nerve trunks in the subserosal connective tissue adjacent to the thrombosed veins and arteries was also noted. To our knowledge this unique gallbladder thrombotic complication of essential thrombocythemia has not been previously reported.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma. Analysis of 434 cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, 1973-2007.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma is an aggressive malignant mesenchymal vasoformative neoplasm that accounts for 1% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program, we analyzed the demographics and survival of cutaneous angiosarcoma. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program recorded 434 cases of cutaneous angiosarcoma from 1973 to 2007. The incidence was nearly the same in men (222 cases) and women (212 cases). Most patients were white (88%) with a mean age of 73 years. African Americans made up only 4% of the cases. Two hundred seventy (62%) cases were tumors of the head and neck, whereas 106 (24%) cases arose in the skin of the trunk. Grade was recorded in 194 cases (45%): 28 were grade I, 44 were grade II, 60 were grade III, and 62 were grade IV. Survival rates of cutaneous angiosarcoma correlated with age, anatomical site, and stage of disease. Patients younger than 50 years had a 10-year relative survival rate of 71.7%, whereas patients 50 years and older had a 36.8% 10-year survival rate. Tumors of the scalp and neck resulted in a 13.8% 10-year relative survival rate, whereas tumors arising in the trunk resulted in a 75.3% 10-year survival rate. Tumors localized to the skin had better prognosis (53.6% 10-year relative survival rate) than those with regional or distant stage (19.0% and 6.2%). Twenty-six percent of patients with angiosarcoma had a prior primary. Cutaneous angiosarcomas arise predominantly in the head and neck of white individuals older than 60 years.

[Immunoglobulin G4-associated to multiorganic lymphoproliferative disease]. / Enfermedad linfoproliferativa multiorgánica asociada a inmunoglobulina G4.

We report a case of a woman with lymphoproliferative multiorganic immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) related disease with extensive involvement showing dacryoadenitis, sialoadenitis, parotiditis, pancreatitis, pneumonitis, lymphadenopathy and immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Serum elevation of acute phase reactant, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, positivity for antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor was found. Hystologically plasma cell infiltration was demonstrated on glandular and lymphatic tissue and immunochemistry was positive for IgG4 in > 30%. Immunosuppressive treatment with steroids and azathioprine was given with an excellent clinical response, the marked radiologic evidence of improvement and the decrease in inflammatory makers that conducted to symptom remission are shown in the text.

Acute Cardiac Tamponade Secondary to Cardiac Vascular-Type Pleomorphic Leiomyosarcoma: Case Report.

Soft tissue sarcomas represent <1% of all neoplasms. Leiomyosarcomas comprise only 5-7% of cases, and only 2% of these are vascular. Vascular leiomyosarcomas are extremely rare and represent only 0.001% of all neoplasms, the venous type being up to 5 times more frequent. Arterial leiomyosarcomas most frequently affect the great vessels, being fatal in most cases. In the reported cases of arterial leiomyosarcomas, the most frequently affected site is the pulmonary artery. We present the clinical case of 2 patients (a 42-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man) with a diagnosis of arterial pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma that conditioned cardiac tamponade as the initial manifestation. As it is an exceptionally rare neoplasm and with few cases reported in the literature, it is important to identify and describe this pathology which, due to the impossibility of offering surgical treatment, represents a therapeutic challenge.