Obstructive jaundice caused by secondary pancreatic tumor from malignant solitary fibrous tumor of pleura:A case report

A 77-year-old man on systemic chemotherapy against postoperative bilateral multiple lung metastases of malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura suffered from pruritus and jaundice. Blood examination showed elevated levels of hepatobiliary enzymes. Abdominal computed tomography showed a tumor with peripheral enhancement in the pancreatic head, accompanied with the dilatation of intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts. He was diagnosed as having obstructive jaundice caused by a pancreatic head tumor. The pancreatic head tumor was presumably diagnosed as the metastasis of malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura, because the findings on the pancreatic head tumor on abdominal CT were similar to those on the primary lung lesion of malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura. The pancreatic tumor grew rapidly after the implantation of metallic stent in the inferior part of the common bile duct. The patient died of lymphangitis carcinomatosa of the lungs. Autopsy revealed a tumor that spread from the pancreatic head to the hepatic hilum. Microscopically, spindle-shaped cells exhibiting nuclear atypicality or division together with collagen deposition were observed. Immunohistochemically the pancreatic head tumor cells were negative for staining of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） or CD117, but positive for vimentin, CD34 and CD99. These findings are consistent with those on malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura. We report the first case of obstructive jaundice caused by a secondary pancreatic tumor from malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura.

Retrotracheal thymoma masquerading as esophageal submucosal tumor

A 42-year-old man presented with a two-year history of progressive dysphagia and hoarseness. Esophagogram and endoscopy revealed submucosal mass effect on the upper esophagus. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an elongated mass in the retrotracheal region of the lower neck with extension to the posterior mediastinum. Partial tumor resection and histopathological evaluation revealed a WHO type B2 thymoma. Adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy were subsequently administered resulting in complete tumor regression. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ectopic retrotracheal thymoma with clinical and imaging manifestations mimicking those for esophageal submucosal tumor.

Expression and clinical significance of EGFR, PCNA, Bcl-2 and Bax in thymoma

Objective:To study the expressions and clinical significances of PCNA, EGFR, Bcl-2 and Bax in thymoma. Methods: The expressions of EGFR, PCNA, Bcl-2 and Bax in 46 cases of thymoma and 11 cases of normal thymus were detected with S-P immunohistochemistry. The results were analyzed with the pathologic indexes. Results: The positive rates of EGFR, Bcl-2 and Bax in normal thymus were 18. 2%, 9. 1%,and 18.2% respectively, while in thymoma were 71.7%, 41.3%, and 15.2% separately. The expression of EGFR in thymoma was significantly correlated with Masaoka staging and Levine classification. The survival rate of EGFR negative patients was significantly higher thanthat of EGFR positive patients (P＜0. 01). PCNA labelling index was significantly higher in thymoma as (4.00±1.87)% than in normal thymus, (2.68±0. 62)% , which was significantly correlated with Levine classification. The expression of Bcl-2 in thymoma was also significantly correlated with Levine classification. The survival rate of Bcl-2 negative patients was significantly higher than that of Bcl-2 positive patients (P＜0. 01). The expression of PCNA, EGFR, Bcl-2and Bax in thymoma had no correlation with histologic type and myasthenia gravis (MG) (P＞0. 05). Conclusion: The expression of EGFR may be involved in the occurrence and development of thymoma. EGFR can be regarded as a supplementary predictor for Masaoka staging so as to predict the progression accurately.The expression of Bcl-2 may contribute to the occurrence of thymic carcinoma and Bcl-2 can be used as a biomarker identifying thymic carcinoma.

Comparative analysis of postoperative outcomes of myasthenia gravis with and without thymoma

Objective: To explore the postoperative clinical characteristics and outcomes of myasthenia gravis with and without thymoma. Methods: Two hundred and forty-three patients with myasthenia gravis(MG) surgically treated in our department from 1978 to 2003 were studied retrospectively. The clinical characteristics, complication, remissions and survival rates were compared between MG with and without thymoma. Results: The patients of MG with thymoma were significantly older (P<0.01), had shorter duration of symptom(P<0.01), and higher myasthenia crisis rates after operation(P<0.01) than those without thymoma. No difference of Osserman classification was found between the 2 groups. The complete remission rates and partial remission rates of MG with thymoma were significantly lower than those without thymoma at 1 and 3 years(P=0.049, P=0.000, P=0.015, P=0.010), but no differences at 5 years(P=0.457, P=0.699). The survival rates were lower in MG with thymoma than without thymoma(Log rank=18.58,P=0.000). Conclusion: The clinical characteristics are different between MG with and without thymoma. The remission of symptom of MG with thymoma is worse than that of MG without thymoma in the near future, but similar in the long future. In a long-term, the death rate of MG with thymoma is significantly higher than that of MG without thymoma.

Reduction of natural regulatory T cells in thymomas accompanying myasthenia gravis and its possible association with Foxp3 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin

Objective: To investigate the expression of both thymic regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+cells, Treg) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in thymomas accompanying myasthenia gravis. Methods: We used immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse trancription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) techniques to determine Foxp3+ Treg counts and the expression levels of Foxp3 mRNA and TSLP mRNA in thymomas of 23 MG patients and thymuses of 4 healthy controls. Results: The CD4+ Foxp3+ nTreg (natural regulatory T cells) counts in thymomas were significantly lower than those in normal thymuses (P<0.01), and the expression levels of Foxp3 mRNA and TSLP mRNA were also lower in thymomas(P<0.01). Among the thymoma types, type B1 thymoma had the highest Foxp3+ nTreg count and standard values of Foxp3 mRNA and TSLP mRNA. There was a strong positive correlation between the mRNA transcriptional levels of Foxp3 and TSLP. Conclusion: The insufficient expression of Foxp3 in thymoma, which may be caused by decreased transcription of TSLP, may result in the reduction of Tregs and cause autoimmune disorders.

A Case of Multiple Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs),with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Mediastinal Tumor

A 29-year-old man was admitted for erythema, papules and erosions. Erosions and purulent secretions were seen in the circumference of the mouth, eyes, oral mucosa,tongue, and preputium. Conjunctivas were swollen and the urethral orifice was red, both were accompanied by purulent secretions. Multiple vesicles were shown in the penis.The patient was diagnosed with:①Stevens-Johnsonsyndrome;②gonococcal ophthalmoblennorrhea;③nongonococcal urethritis, gonococcal urethritis;④genital herpes;⑤mediastinal tumor.