ABSTRACT
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, but life-threatening disorder of pathologic immune system activation which results in a hyperinflammatory state. Previous studies have suggested that hematologic malignancies are often inciting factors for HLH and portend a poorer prognosis. However, the substantial overlap between features of hematologic malignancies and HLH makes recognition and prompt diagnosis of HLH a complex and difficult task. We present a case of a young male who presented with acute dyspnea on exertion, unintentional weight loss, and fatigue. He was found to have pancytopenia, fever, splenomegaly, and Epstein-Barr viremia and was subsequently diagnosed with nodular sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma. Five of eight 2004-HLH criteria were met and the patient was started on intravenous dexamethasone (10 mg/m2 daily), acyclovir, and AAVD (brentuximab, doxorubicin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) chemotherapy protocol with improvement in his symptoms and laboratory findings.
ABSTRACT
Phytoestrogens (PEs) have estrogen-like activity and were found to lower incidences of several hormone-dependent cancers. Emerging evidence suggests that estrogen may play a role in lung cancer carcinogenesis. We aim to evaluate dietary PE intake and lung cancer risk using data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian cancer screening trial. A total of 1706 lung cancer cases were identified. The association between lung cancer risk and PE intake (in quartiles) was calculated using the Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for potential confounders. Stratified analyses by smoking status, sex and histology were also performed. The highest quartile of total PE intake was associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer compared with the lowest quartile [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73-0.99 for >1030 µg/day versus <290 µg/day] (P trend = 0.56). Similar patterns were observed among ever smokers (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.71-0.98), non-small cell histology (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.99), male (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.69-1.03) and female (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.64-0.99 for 510-1030 µg/day, HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.67-1.06 for >1030 µg/day versus <290 µg/day) subjects with no significant linear trend observed. Despite a lower consumption compared with the Asian population, increased PE intake still appears to decrease lung cancer risk in a Caucasian-dominant population. Future studies are needed to replicate these results in independent cohorts and shed a light on the potential mechanism of the protective effect of PEs on lung carcinogenesis and the interaction between PEs, smoking and endogenous estrogens.
