Monica Sgueglia

Retroperitoneal liposarcoma associated with small plaque parapsoriasis

BackgroundExtremely rare cases of paraneoplastic syndromes or ectopic production of proteins associated with liposarcoma are reported in literature. Production of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor, alpha-fetoprotein, paraneoplastic pemphigus and leucocytosis, Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica (Bazexs syndrome) are reported.The present report describes a case of retroperitoneal liposarcoma associated with small plaque parapsoriasis. Our search in the English literature of such a kind of association did not reveal any case reported.Case presentationA 74 year male patient was admitted to our hospital because of the presence of an abdominal mass in right iliac fossa. He also complained of a two-year history of psoriasiform eruptions. The CT scan showed a retroperitoneal pelvic mass. Therefore surgical resection of the tumor was performed. After surgery, the skin eruptions disappeared completely in seven days and so a diagnosis of parapsoriasis syndrome was done.ConclusionParallel disappearing of skin eruptions after surgery, typical clinical picture and not specific histology of the cutaneous lesions suggest the diagnosis of small plaque parapsoriasis. Therefore we propose to add Small Plaque Parapsoriasis to the list of paraneoplastic syndromes associated to liposarcoma.

Selective Embolization of Thyroid Arteries for Preresection or Palliative Treatment of Large Cervicomediastinal Goiters

Background: The authors have applied the selective embolization of thyroid arteries in the treatment of voluminous cervicomediastinal goiters, especially in patients at high surgical risk or reluctant to undergo surgical intervention and radioiodine therapy. Method: Selective arteriography was used to embolize the thyroid arteries in 2 patients with voluminous hyperfunctioning cervicomediastinal goiters and mediastinal compressive symptoms. The first patient had already undergone unsuccessful radioiodine metabolic therapy and had severe left ventricular insufficiency contraindicating surgery. The second patient, despite having no contraindications, declined surgery and radioiodine metabolic therapy. Results: Radiological embolization markedly reduced the goiters in volume, resolved the compressive symptoms, and also normalized thyroid hyperfunction. The second patient needed a second embolization procedure because the embolized arterial branches had partly recanalized. Conclusion: Selective embolization of thyroid arteries can be successfully used to treat selected patients as a preoperative procedure and as an alternative to thyroid resection. Embolization can be repeated to achieve the required therapeutic aims.