Alessandro Chiominto

Unicentric angiofollicular hyperplasia (Castleman's disease) of the parotid: A case report

Angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, or Castlemans disease, is a condition of uncertain cause usually presenting with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Occasionally other lymph node groups may be involved with or without associated systemic manifestations. A case of Castlemans disease involving parotid lymph nodes is reported in a 16-year-old female patient who presented with a painless swelling that initially was noticed at the age of 3 years. Diagnosis was established by histopathologic examination of the respected specimen. Histologic and clinical features of Castlemans disease are also discussed.

MGMT methylation correlates with melphalan pelvic perfusion survival in stage III melanoma patients: A pilot study

Approximately 25% of melanoma patients with locoregional metastases are nonresponsive to new molecular target therapy and immunotherapy. When metastases are located in the pelvis, melphalan hypoxic perfusion can be an optional treatment. Because methylation of MGMT promoter increases the efficacy of alkylating agents, studies on melanoma outcome of patients treated with melphalan regional chemotherapy should consider this epigenetic change. This study aims to evaluate whether the survival of stage III melanoma patients treated with melphalan regional chemotherapy may be correlated with MGMT methylation status. The metastatic tissues of 27 stage III melanoma patients with locoregional metastases located in the pelvis subjected to melphalan hypoxic pelvic perfusion were examined. The methylation status of the MGMT promoter was investigated by MS-MLPA probes analysis and the presence of the BRAF V600E mutation was analyzed by CAST-PCR. The median survival times were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier curves and were stratified according to the clinicopathological characteristics of patients and lesions. The overall median survival time was 17 months. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were 66.7, 18.5, and 7.4%, respectively. Disease stage, burden, and percentage of MGMT methylation significantly affected survival. We estimated an MGMT promoter methylation cut-off of at least 14%, which was significantly associated with a longer survival after melphalan regional chemotherapy. Our data suggest that MGMT promoter methylation could be an important factor in determining which melanoma patients should receive melphalan regional chemotherapy, but its prognostic significance in the routine clinical setting needs to be clarified in a larger study.

Advantage of laparoscopic resection for pelvic Schwannoma: Case report and review of the literature

Highlights • Retroperitoneal schwannomas are usually asymptomatic, rare neoplasms.• Diagnosis can only be achieved with surgical removal of mass.• Laparoscopy is the most useful therapeutic approach.

Does Locoregional Chemotherapy Still Matter in the Treatment of Advanced Pelvic Melanoma

Pelvic Melanoma relapse occurs in 15% of patients with loco regional metastases, and 25% of cases do not respond to new target-therapy and/or immunotherapy. Melphalan hypoxic pelvic perfusion may, therefore, be an option for these non-responsive patients. Overall median survival time (MST), stratified for variables, including BRAF V600E mutation and eligibility for treatments with new immunotherapy drugs, was retrospectively assessed in 41 patients with pelvic melanoma loco regional metastases. They had received a total of 175 treatments with Melphalan hypoxic perfusion and cytoreductive excision. Among the 41 patients, 22 (53.7%) patients exhibited a wild-type BRAF genotype, 11 of which were not eligible for immunotherapy. The first treatment resulted in a 97.5% response-rate in the full cohort and a 100% response-rate in the 22 wild-type BRAF patients. MST was 18 months in the full sample, 20 months for the 22 wild-type BRAF patients and 21 months for the 11 wild-type BRAF patients not eligible for immunotherapy. Melphalan hypoxic perfusion is a potentially effective treatment for patients with pelvic melanoma loco regional metastases that requires confirmation in a larger multicenter study.

Intraluminal ileal tumour after right hemicolectomy for cancer: An implantation recurrence or a new cancer? A case report

Introduction Extra-anastomotic intraluminal recurrence of the colon cancer after curative surgery was rarely reported but intraluminal ileal relapse has not been described to date. We report a case of intraluminal ileal tumor arising after curative right hemicolectomy that could be ascribed to an implantation of exfoliated cancer cells. Case report A 71-years old man was admitted with no metastatic stenotic adenocarcinoma of the hepatic flexure and submitted, without preoperative bowel preparation, to right hemicolectomy using a “no-touch” technique. Histology showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma without lymph nodes involvement (pT3N0). No adjuvant therapy was prescribed. First colonoscopy three months after surgery was negative but a second endoscopic examination nine months later revealed an ileal neoplasia, presenting like an ulcer 10 cm proximally to ileocolic anastomosis. A new ileo-colic resection including past anastomosis was performed with curative intent. Pathological examination showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma extended to peri-visceral fat tissue with 10 tumor-free lymph nodes. (pT3N0). Six courses of Capecitabine adjuvant chemotherapy was prescribed and 32 months after second surgery, the patient is alive without disease. Discussion In the present case, the relatively short time from the primary surgery and the fact that recurrence occurred outside the anastomosis suggest that implantation of exfoliated malignant cells seems to be the main pathogenetic mechanism. We suppose that the high grade of primary cancer and the occlusive condition could have promoted the cancer cells reflux through the ileocecal orifice and in the transverse colon. Conclusion This case seems to confirm the intraluminal implanting capacity of exfoliated carcinoma cells.

Beckenperfusion bei Rektumkarzinomen

Wie bereits in ► Kap. 1 beschrieben, kann die Induktionschemotherapie Anderungen auslosen, welche die Erfolgsaussichten einer anschliesenden Operation bzw. Strahlentherapie erhohen. Die Beckenperfusion kann als Induktionschemotherapie fur die Behandlung von Rektumkarzinomen vornehmlich bei Lokalrezidiven, aber auch bei bestimmten Patienten mit fortgeschrittenen Primartumoren eingesetzt werden.