Gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic mastocytosis

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare disease with abnormal proliferation and infiltration of mast cells in the skin, bone marrow, and viscera including the mucosal surfaces of the digestive tract. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms occur in 14%-85% of patients with systemic mastocytosis. The GI symptoms may be as frequent as the better known pruritis, urticaria pigmentosa, and flushing. In fact most recent studies show that the GI symptoms are especially important clinically due to the severity and chronicity of the effects that they produce. GI symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and bloating. A case of predominantly GI systemic mastocytosis with unique endoscopic images and pathologic confirmation is herein presented, as well as a current review of the GI manifestations of this disease including endoscopic appearances. Issues such as treatment and prognosis will not be discussed for the purposes of this paper.

An unusual case of aggressive systemic mastocytosis mimicking hepatic cirrhosis

Hepatic involvement in aggressive systemic mastocytosis(ASM) is relatively common, and the main clinical features of this disease include hepatomegaly, portal hypertension, ascites, and fibrosis. Cirrhosis is a rare ASM symptom. We report an ASM case that initially mimicked cirrhosis based on clinical and radiographic analyses. The portal tract was expanded by mononuclear inflammatory cells, and an increase in collagen amount was observed in routine histological sections of the biopsied liver. A diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis(SM) was made after ancillary tests for mast cells using bone marrow aspirates. Extensive involvement of the liver and gastrointestinal tract was observed. Clinicians and pathologists need to consider ASM as a diagnosis or differential diagnosis in a clinical case of cirrhosis with unknown etiology. The diagnosis can be confirmed or disregarded by immunohistochemical staining and molecular analysis.

Systemic mastocytosis: A rare cause of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension

Mastocytosis is a clonal neoplastic disorder of the mast cells(MC) that can be limited to the skin(cutaneous mastocytosis) or involve one or more extracutaneous organs(systemic mastocytosis). The clinical manifestations of mastocytosis are heterogeneous ranging from indolent disease with a long-term survival to a highly aggressive neoplasm with survival of about 6 mo. Although liver involvement in aggressive systemic mastocytosis(ASM) is relatively common, the development of portal hypertension with or without cirrhosis is rare. We report a case of ASM without skin involvement in a 72-year-old caucasian male who presented with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension based on clinical, analytical, imagiological and endoscopic findings. Given the hematological picture, the correct diagnosis was established based on ancillary tests for MC using bone marrow aspirates and biopsy. Extensive involvement of the liver and gastrointestinal tract was histologically documented. The disease progressed rapidly and severe pancytopenia and recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding became the dominant problem. This case illustrates the challenge in establishing a diagnosis of ASM especially when the clinical picture is atypical and without skin involvement. Gastroenterologists should consider infiltrative disease, particularly systemic mastocytosis, as a differential diagnosis in a clinical case of portal hypertension of unknown etiology.

Clinical challenge for gastroenterologists–Gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic mastocytosis:A comprehensive review

Mastocytosis is a rare and heterogeneous disease characterized by various clinical and biological features that affect different prognoses and treatments.The disease is usually divided into 2 principal categories:cutaneous and systemic disease(SM).Clinical features can be related to mast cell(MC)mediator release or pathological MC infiltration.SM is a disease often hard to identify,and the diagnosis is based on clinical,biological,histological,and molecular criteria with different specialists involved in the patient’s clinical work-up.Among all manifestations of the disease,gastrointestinal(GI)symptoms are common,being present in 14%-85% of patients,and can significantly impair the quality of life.Here we review the data regarding GI involvement in SM,in terms of clinical presentations,histological and endoscopic features,the pathogenesis of GI symptoms,and their treatment.

The Inhibitory Effects of Tetracycline on Mastocytosis

Mastocytosis is a rare disease that causes its victims pains in the body, anaphylactic shocks and in some cases death. There is currently no cure for this disease but there are some medications taken to manage the symptoms of this disease. The cause of mastocytosis is the overabundance of mast cells in the blood stream, body tissues, and bone marrow. These mast cells are well meaning hematopoietic cells which are members of the body’s response to an allergy. It has been established that tetracyclines possess anti-bacterial properties, but recent development has also shown that it also possesses anti-inflammatory properties as well as apoptotic properties which can be applied in the treatment of mastocytosis. This paper focuses on the use of the principle of “Creative synthesis” to formulate a possible treatment to mastocytosis using tetracycline and polyphenols as well as chemically modified tetracyclines (CMTs). In addition, investigations will be carried out to proffer a possible combination which will help in inhibiting the effects of mastocytosis. Based on the synthesis, an economic analysis will be carried out to show the economic potential of this proffered treatment.

Peripheral Nerve Blockade in a Patient with Mastocytosis

Mastocytosis is a rare group of disorders with chronic and episodic mast cell release of mediators which can have systemic and cutaneous manifestations. Triggers of anaphylaxis include commonly used medications for anesthesia, analgesia, and muscle relaxation. There is little in the literature regarding local anesthesia in emergent surgery for patients with mastocytosis. This case details the use of a peripheral nerve blockade for multiple surgeries and pain control in a patient with biopsy-proven mastocytosis.

Well-differentiated systemic mastocytosis with KIT K509I mutation and uterus infiltration in an Asian woman with good response to imatinib

To the Editor: We report a 27-year-old woman with a 2-month history of irregular uterine bleeding between periods. Blistering on the head was noted in the patient at the age of 2 months, and she gradually developed red maculopapular lesions over her neck and back during puberty, which were itchy after exposure to physical friction. On admission, physical examination had revealed diffuse faint maculopapular rash mainly on the neck and back [Figure 1]. Pelvic examination showed a smooth red lump (5 cm) on the cervix. No abnormality was detected in the complete blood count. Afterwards, the cervical lump was resected and confirmed to be the infiltration of mature mast cells (MCs) after careful pathological investigation. Additionally, a skin nodule biopsy also indicated mass aggregation of MCs, and a bone marrow (BM) biopsy showed a mass of round MCs with abundant cytoplasmic granules. The MCs accounted for about 22.5% of all cells in the aspirate smears. Flow cytometry immunophenotypic analysis on BM suggested that an aberrant MC population had represented 10% of the total analyzed cells, which was positive for CD117, CD33, and CD9, partially positive for CD2 and CD68, and negative for CD25. Genetic test through exome-wide sequencing for the receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT) gene had revealed K509I mutation.

Recalcitrant Cutaneous Mastocytosis Treated With Genetically Informed Targeted Therapy:A Case Report

Introduction:Mastocytosis,a clonal proliferation of mast cells commonly involving the skin and bone marrow,has a varied clinical presentation ranging from cutaneous lesions to systemic disease.Cutaneous mastocytosis is managed symptomatically,but systemic mastocytosis is treated with targeted therapy against the mutated receptor tyrosine kinase c-KIT,the pathogenic driver of mastocytosis.However,there are no guidelines for the treatment of cutaneous mastocytosis refractory to symptomatic management.We herein report a method to select genetically informed therapy for symptomatic and recalcitrant cutaneous mastocytosis.Case presentation:We performed a mutational analysis of dermal mast cells after enrichment by laser capture in a 23-year-old woman with recalcitrant cutaneous mastocytosis.The analysis revealed a aspartic acid to valine substitution at codon 816(D816V)mutation in the protein c-KIT.Based on these results,we initiated treatment with the multi-kinase/KIT inhibitor midostaurin,a treatment effective against the D816V c-KIT mutation.After 3 months of treatment,the patient exhibited a reduction in the number and size of cutaneous lesions and reported resolution of pruritus and decreased severity of other mast cell-related symptoms.Discussion:The treatment of mastocytosis relies heavily on whether the disease is limited to the skin or systemic.However,there are no guidelines for cutaneous mastocytosis that does not respond to symptomatic management.In the present report describing a patient with recalcitrant cutaneous mastocytosis,we describe a strategy in which skin mutational analysis is used to guide the selection of targeted therapy.Conclusion:Performing mast cell mutational analyses in the skin provides a means to select targeted therapy for symptomatic and refractory cutaneous mastocytosis.

Treatment refractory mast cell leukemia with dominant gastrointestinal manifestation and concomitant skin symptoms:A case report

BACKGROUND Mast cell leukemia(MCL),a subtype of systemic mastocytosis(SM),is an extremely rare clinical entity characterized by a very poor prognosis.Chemotherapy,tyrosine kinase inhibitors,and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation are the only treatment options,but they cannot provide the desired outcomes in most cases of MCL.However,other types of SM can be successfully treated.The disease has no specific manifestation,but gastroenterological symptoms are present in most cases.CASE SUMMARY The authors,hereby,report a case of a 46-year-old female patient diagnosed with MCL-the rarest subtype of SM.The patient presented to the gastroenterology clinic with multiple,various,and unspecific gastroenterological symptoms.Concomitance of skin lesions significantly contributed to a relatively prompt diagnosis.The serum tryptase level was extremely high and bone the marrow aspirate showed an infiltration of atypical mast cells.The disease was rapidly progressive and primary refractory to chemotherapy and the patient succumbed to the illness about a month after the initiation of treatment.CONCLUSION Despite its“hematological nature”,MCL,in most cases presents dominantly with unspecific gastroenterological symptoms.Thus,a high disease awareness among physicians other than hematologists is necessary to improve treatment outcomes.Serum tryptase level,due to its non-invasive nature and easy access,may serve as an initial step to estimate the probability of mastocytosis.

A concise, practical guide to diagnostic assessment for mast cell activation disease

As recognition of mast cell(MC) involvement in a range of chronic inflammatory disorders has increased, diagnosticians' suspicions of MC activation disease(MCAD) in their chronically mysteriously inflamed patients have similarly increased. It is now understood that the various forms of systemic mastocytosis- diseases of inappropriate activation and proliferation of MCs seemingly driven by a small set of rare, usually constitutively activating mutations in assorted MC regulatory elements-comprise merely the tip of the MCAD iceberg, whereas the far larger and far more clinically heterogeneous(and thus more difficult to recognize) bulk of the iceberg consists of assorted forms of MC activation syndrome(MCAS) which manifest little to no abnormal MC proliferation and may originate from a far more heterogeneous set of MC mutations. It is reasonable to suspect MCAD when symptoms and signs of MC activation are present and no other diagnosis better accounting for the full range of findings is present. Initial laboratory assessment should include not only routine blood counts and serum chemistries but also a serum total tryptase level, which helps direct further evaluation for mastocytosis vs MCAS. Appropriate tissue examinations are needed to diagnose mastocytosis, while elevated levels of relatively specific mast cell mediators are sought to support diagnosis of MCAS. Whether assessing for mastocytosis or MCAS, testing is fraught with potential pitfalls which can easily yield false negatives leading to erroneous rejection of diagnostic consideration of MCAD in spite of a clinical history highly consistent with MCAD. Efforts at accurate diagnosis of MCAD are worthwhile, as many patients then respond well to appropriately directed therapeutic efforts.

PI3 kinase isoform p110δis more important than p110αin KIT signaling in hematopoietic cells

PI3 kinases are important for KIT signaling and KIT mutants mediated cell transformation.In order to know the difference of PI3 kinase isoforms p110αand p110δin the signaling of wild-type KIT and the often occurred KIT mutation D816V in hematopoietic malignancy mastocytosis,the predominant PI3 kinase isoform p110δin hematopoietic tissues was knocked out in hematopoietic cells.We found that loss of p110δexpression dramatically inhibits PI3 kinase activation mediated by both wild-type KIT and KIT/D816V.By over expression of p110αin p110δknock out cells,wild-type KIT mediated PI3 kinase activation was not changed while over expression of p110δincreased PI3 kinase activation.Similarly,in KIT/D816V expressing cells without p110δexpression,over expression of p110δbut not p110αrestored PI3 kinase activation.In agreement with the signaling results,cell proliferation,cell survival and cell cycle assay further showed that over expression of p110δbut not p110αin p110δknock out cells increases both wild-type KIT and KIT/D816V mediated cell survival and proliferation.These results suggested that p110δplays a more important role than p110αin KIT signaling and KIT mutant mediated cell transformation in hematopoietic cells.

Severe chronic diarrhea and maculopapular rash:A case report

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a heterogeneous disease of the bone marrow characterized by abnormal growth, accumulation and activation of clonal mast cells (MCs). We report a case of SM with multiorgan involvement. A 30-year-old man presented with diarrhea, flushing, maculopapular rash with itching and weight loss. The upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies showed macroscopic involvement of stomach and duodenum; mucosal samples from stomach, duodenum, colon and distal ileum showed mucosal inf iltration by large, spindleshaped MCs with abnormal surface molecule expression (CD2 and CD25), a picture fully consistent with SM, according to the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria. A computed tomography scan showed diffuse lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and diffuse small bowel involvement. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were diagnostic for SM; serum tryptase levels were increased (209 ng/mL, normal values < 20 ng/mL). The conclusive diagnosis was smouldering SM. There wereno therapeutic indications except for treatment of symptoms. The patient was strictly followed up because of the risk of aggressive evolution.

Unusual cause of syncopal episodes

We report a 43-year-old man who had been experiencing recurrent attacks of syncope for several years, and a search for the causes behind these lapses in consciousness was fruitless for many years. The patient was admitted to our department of internal medicine because of the symptoms flushing, hypotension and episodes of syncope. After a careful anamnesis and then a comprehensive investigation, we reached the definitive diagnosis of the infrequent disease “systemic mastocytosis”.

Images for diagnosis： A vulva mastocytoma having grown for eighteen years

Mastocytosis is a rare skin condition which typically .manifests with or without accompanied systemic symptoms. Localized tissue mastocytosis is known as mastocytoma. A Mastocytoma localized to the vulva is an extremely rare condition only a few known cases of this condition have been reported so far. Due to the scarcity of this ailment no consensus about the diagnosis, management and treatment has been reached. In this case, we reported a 23-year-old female patient with a mastocytoma that had been growing for 18 years.