Akiko Fujii

A case of mucinous carcinoma of the breast in which needle tract seeding was diagnosed by preoperative diagnostic imaging

Herein we report a 62-year-old woman with an excisable breast tumor in whom needle tract seeding was suspected during preoperative ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A tumor of the right breast was observed during initial examination, and she was referred to our hospital after fine-needle aspiration cytology led to diagnosis of breast cancer, even though core needle biopsy results were negative. Mammography showed a high-density mass with a portion of the margin exhibiting very fine serrations. Ultrasonography revealed a circular mass with a border that was indistinct in some regions, and a hypoechoic band that extended from the tumor toward the skin. A mass was observed on MRI, with a linear enhancement extending on the skin side, and needle tract seeding was suspected. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed malignancy, and the histological appearance was consistent with mucinous carcinoma. T1cN0M0 stage I breast cancer was diagnosed, and wide excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed. The skin directly above the tumor was concurrently excised to remove the biopsy puncture site. Histopathological diagnosis confirmed mucinous carcinoma, with the tumor observed to extend linearly into the subcutaneous adipose tissue in a pattern corresponding to the biopsy puncture site. The stump of the excised breast was negative for cancer cells. The possibility of tumor seeding must be considered during fine-needle aspiration cytology and biopsy. As demonstrated in this case, diagnosis of such seeding through preoperative imaging may enable extraction of the entire lesion, including the needle tract.

Pulmonary resection of lung cancer in a patient with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

We report a case of a 64-year-old man in whom a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) was found before right lower lobectomy for lung cancer. In addition to lung cancer, there was a right superior pulmonary vein that drained into the superior vena cava (SVC). There was a concern of right ventricular heart failure resulting from increased left-to-right shunt flow after lobectomy. Therefore cardiac catheterization was performed to calculate the pulmonary-to-systemic flow rate in the presence of blocked blood flow to the lower lobe pulmonary artery. As a result, we successfully performed lobectomy without correcting the PAPVC.

AA amyloid nephropathy with predominant vascular deposition in Crohns disease

A 44-year-old man with a 17-year history of Crohns disease (CD) was referred to our nephrology department on suspicion of drug-induced nephrotoxicity. Over the preceding 18 months, he had slowly progressive renal insufficiency with slight urinary abnormalities. His disease activity had been well controlled up to that point with 5-aminosalicylic acid and azathiopurine. Laboratory examination revealed slight proteinuria without hematuria and an elevated serum creatinine level of 1.4 mg/dl. Pathological examination revealed amyloid A (AA) deposition in the kidney, predominantly in the arterial and arteriolar walls with little to none in the glomerular capillaries. AA amyloidosis is typically accompanied by glomerular amyloid deposition and massive proteinuria. In the present case, however, vascular amyloid deposition was predominant, and the renal function was deteriorated with slight urinary abnormalities. The present case confirmed the importance of conducting a definitive pathological diagnosis of renal insufficiency in CD patients.

A Case of Churg-Strauss Syndrome With Necrotizing Crescentic Glomerulonephritis Accompanied by Acute Coronary Syndrome Due to Vasospasm

We report a case of Churg-Strauss syndrome coexistent with coronary vasospasm and pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis. A 54-year-old man with bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis was admitted to our hospital because of acute coronary syndrome. Angiography showed diffuse coronary artery spasm without anatomic stenosis. Acute coronary syndrome due to vasospasm was diagnosed. However, subsequent administration of vasodilators did not suppress angina symptoms. In addition, marked eosinophilia, eosinophilic pneumonitis, chronic sinusitis, pericardial effusion, and slight hematuria with red blood cell casts were detected. Although kidney function was normal, a kidney biopsy showed necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis with eosinophilic infiltration in both glomeruli and interstitium. With the diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome, oral prednisolone at a dose of 60 mg/d was administered. Cardiac symptoms, pulmonary and sinonasal lesions, pericardial effusion, and urine sediment resolved rapidly. Six months later, a repeated kidney biopsy showed remarkable improvement and no eosinophilic infiltration. Coronary vasospasm with eosinophilia might be refractory to vasodilators and sensitive to corticosteroid therapy and often has been related to Churg-Strauss syndrome. Slight abnormalities in urine sediment can be the clue to the diagnosis of severe kidney involvement of Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Angiomyolipoma in the Lung Detected 15 Years After a Nephrectomy for Renal Angiomyolipoma

Angiomyolipoma is generally found in the kidney, but is especially rare in the lung. Nine cases of angiomyolipoma in the lung have been reported previously, and in 3 of these patients it was involved with nephrectomy for renal angiomyolipoma. The origination of the tumor was not completely recognized, but lymphangioleiomyomatosis and angiomyolipoma are known to have a common feature. The pathogenesis of angiomyolipoma in the lung has recently been researched in relation with lymphangioleiomyomatosis. We review these case reports of angiomyolipoma in the lung and discuss the clinical features and the generation of these tumors.

Sclerosing Rhabdomyosarcoma of a Chest Wall in an Adult: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma (SRMS) is a newly recognized and rare variant of rhabdomyosarcoma. This soft tissue tumor has not yet been reported as a thoracic lesion. We report a case of a 26-year-old woman who presented with a large chest wall tumor. The tumor originated from the right anterior chest wall and protruded into the intra- and extrapleural cavity. A transcutaneous needle biopsy revealed spindle cells in an abundant hyalinized and fibrous stroma. Although the tumor was considered as a malignant soft-tissue neoplasm, a definitive diagnosis could not be established. A wide excision of the chest wall including the second, third and fourth rib and a part of sternum was performed. Histologically, cytoplasmic cross-striations were found in a portion of the tumor cells. The tumor cells were positive for muscle markers, and the tumor was diagnosed as rhabdomyosarcoma consistent with a sclerosing type of rhabdomyosarcoma. Eighteen months after the complete resection, the patient has pleural disseminations but is alive and undergoing chemotherapy. This case highlights the histologic features of a rare form of rhabdomyosarcoma, and emphasizes the importance of awareness of its existence and the utility of skeletal muscle markers in distinguishing sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma from its mimics.

A case of tubulointerstitial nephritis in IgG4-related systemic disease with markedly enlarged kidneys

IgG4-related systemic disease, including autoimmune pancreatitis, is a multi-organ disorder characterized by elevated serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) concentration and IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration. We report the case of a 67-year-old man with IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis, presenting with markedly enlarged kidneys and renal dysfunction. The serum IgG4 level was elevated with 4200 mg/dl and pathological examination revealed patchy, clearly fringed areas of IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration and advanced fibrosis in the renal parenchyma, perirenal tissue and lymph nodes. With oral prednisolone at a dose of 60 mg daily, a contraction of the kidneys and an improvement of renal function were observed. No recurrence of the disease was observed during the reduction of prednisolone to 2 mg daily over 4 years.

Glomerular capillary light chain thrombi in multiple myeloma.

A 55-year-old man was admitted to our nephrology unit because of acute oliguria. Five months earlier, he suffered vertebral fracture and received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 3 months. Urine test showed 1+ microhematuria and 3+ proteinuria. Serum creatinine concentration was 1060 μmol/l and hemoglobin was 48 g/l. Serological testing revealed an elevated immunoglobulin G level (14.9 g/l) and M-peak for κ-light chain in electrophoresis. Cryoglobulin was negative. Disseminated intravascular coagulation or anti-phospholipid syndrome was unlikely because of normal values of platelet count (129 × 109/l), prothrombin time (13.2 s), and activated partial thromboplastin time (39.4 s). Bone marrow aspiration confirmed multiple myeloma.

Crescentic glomerulonephritis in a patient with advanced lung cancer during erlotinib therapy

Sir, Erlotinib (Tarceva®), an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been shown to improve survival of previously treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [1]. The common adverse effects of this agent include diarrhoea and anorexia [1], which may cause severe dehydration and renal failure, although their incidence has been low [2]. Here, we report a case of pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) and acute renal failure in a patient with advanced NSCLC treated with erlotinib.

Early recurrence of lupus nephritis after renal transplantation – a case report

Abstract:  The risk of recurrent lupus nephritis (LN) in renal transplant recipients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) used to be rare (1–4%). However, recent studies have suggested a higher rate of recurrence in SLE patients after renal transplantation (up to 30%). The interval from transplantation to recurrence of LN has been reported to vary from five days to eight years. We report here a renal transplant recipient with SLE who had recurrent LN 10 d after transplantation.