Uqba Khan

Nivolumab induced myxedema crisis

BackgroundNivolumab is an anti-programmed cell death (anti-PD-1) monoclonal antibody that is approved by Food and Drug Administration for treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic melanoma, relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma and advanced renal cell cancer. We report a rare case of myxedema crisis induced by nivolumab in a patient with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of lung.Case presentationFifty three-year old woman with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma currently on treatment with nivolumab presented with diffuse facial and tongue swelling, slurred speech, depressed mentation, fatigue and weakness. Initial evaluation revealed severe hypothyroidism with thyroid stimulating hormone of 237 micro Unit/mL (Normal Reference range: 0.27–4.20 micro unit/mL) and undetectable free T4. Patient was diagnosed with nivolumab induced myxedema crisis. She was treated successfully with levothyroxine with complete resolution of her symptoms. Nivolumab was safely restarted once the symptoms of myxedema resolved.ConclusionNivolumab can cause immune-mediated endocrinopathies including thyroiditis, hypophysitis, adrenal insufficiency and type 1 diabetes mellitus. High index of suspicion and periodic measurement of thyroid function tests are recommended in patients receiving nivolumab therapy. Our case also suggests that once the myxedema crisis is treated and symptoms are resolved, nivolumab can be safely re-challenged.

Sickle cell trait: not as benign as once thought

We describe a case of renal papillary necrosis in a middle-aged female with sickle cell trait who presented with gross hematuria. We wish to highlight this case for several reasons. Sickle cell trait is often viewed as a benign condition despite the fact that it is associated with significant morbidity such as renal papillary necrosis and renal medullary carcinoma. Appropriate evaluation needs to be undertaken to promptly diagnose renal papillary necrosis and differentiate it from renal medullary carcinoma as this can result in deadly consequences for patients. CT urography has emerged as a diagnostic study to evaluate hematuria in such patients. We review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of renal papillary necrosis in patients with sickle cell trait.

Benign Multicystic Peritoneal Mesothelioma: A Rare Condition in an Uncommon Gender

Benign Multicystic Peritoneal Mesothelioma (BMPM) is a rare condition that arises from the abdominal peritoneum. Fewer than 200 cases have been reported worldwide. BMPM usually affects premenopausal women and is extremely rare in men. Many factors are suspected to contribute to its development, such as previous surgery, endometriosis, and familial Mediterranean fever. The main management is surgical resection; however, it is estimated that the recurrence rate is up to 50%. Malignant transformation is rare. We report a case series of three male patients who were diagnosed with BMPM and were treated with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

Acute myeloid leukemia with translocation (1;21)

Advancement in genetic and molecular biology techniques has greatly helped our understanding of various diseases, especially hematological disorders. We describe a case of primary myelofibrosis (PMF) that transformed into acute myeloid leukemia with a very rare and unusual genetic translocation of (1;21). There are only five reported cases of this translocation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome but none of them transformed from PMF. This case not only highlights the importance of rare genetic translocations but also provides the natural history of the disease and its poor prognosis. To the best of our knowledge our patient is the first reported case of AML transformed from PMF to have this unique translocation of (1;21).

Role of “Second Look” Lymph Node Search in Harvesting Optimal Number of Lymph Nodes for Staging of Colorectal Carcinoma

As with other malignancies, lymph node metastasis is an important staging element and prognostic factor in colorectal carcinomas. The number of involved lymph nodes is directly related to decreased 5-year overall survival for all pT stages according to United States Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry database. The National Quality Forum specifies that the presence of at least 12 lymph nodes in a surgical resection is one of the key quality measures for the evaluation of colorectal cancer. Therefore, the harvesting of a minimum of twelve lymph nodes is the most widely accepted standard for evaluating colorectal cancer. Since this is an accepted quality standard, a second attempt at lymph node dissection in the gross specimen is often performed when the initial lymph node count is less than 12, incurring a delay in reporting and additional expense. However, this is an arbitrary number and not based on any hard scientific evidence. We decided to investigate whether the additional effort and expense of submitting additional lymph nodes had any effect on pathologic lymph node staging (pN). We identified a total of 99 colectomies for colorectal cancer in which the prosector subsequently submitted additional lymph nodes following initial review. The mean lymph node count increased from 8.3 ± 7.5 on initial search to 14.6 ± 8.0 following submission of additional sections. The number of cases meeting the target of 12 lymph nodes increased from 14 to 69. Examination of the additional lymph nodes resulted in pathologic upstaging (pN) of five cases. Gross reexamination and submission of additional lymph nodes may provide more accurate staging in a limited number of cases. Whether exhaustive submission of mesenteric fat or fat-clearing methods is justified will need to be further investigated.

Plasmacytomas and Plasma-Cell Leukemia

A 63-year-old man with multiple myeloma who had received extensive treatment for the condition presented with lesions on his arms and chest wall. Biopsy revealed plasmacytomas. Peripheral-blood smear revealed 25% plasma cells.

Autoimmune Hepatitis: A Risk Factor for Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a very aggressive and lethal tumor, which arises from the epithelial cells of bile ducts. CCA comprises about 3% of all gastrointestinal malignancies and its incidence is on the rise in the recent years. Anatomically, it is classified into intrahepatic, perihilar, or extrahepatic (distal) CCA. There are a number of risk factors associated with CCA including primary sclerosing cholangitis, fibropolycystic liver disease, parasitic infection, viral hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and genetic disorders like Lynch syndrome. Autoimmune hepatitis is also recently reported to have an association with development of CCA. We report an interesting case of perihilar CCA in the setting of autoimmune hepatitis along with a literature review. This case highlights the importance of early treatment and close clinical follow-up of patients with autoimmune hepatitis for development of CCA.

Fever, rash and agranulocytosis

A Caucasian woman aged 74 years successfully underwent laminectomy and decompression surgery for spinal stenosis, which was complicated by wound infection with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), MRSA bacteraemia and endocarditis. MRSA was resistant to clindamycin, erythromycin and oxacillin. The patient was started on intravenous ceftaroline 600 mg two times per day. Four weeks later, she presented to the emergency room with fever and rash for 1 week. Physical examination revealed diffuse erythematous rash involving …