Nonthyroidal metastatic lesion in thyroid: A missed diagnosis and a lesson learnt.

BACKGROUND: Blood supply to the thyroid is relatively high when compared to that of liver. Despite this documented metastatic deposit in thyroid remains a rarity. Synchronous nonthyroidal metastatic deposit in thyroid from a lung primary is relatively rare. Metastasis to thyroid portends to poor prognosis, and hence a metastatic deposit has to be excluded in any suspicious lesion of thyroid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Details of a rare presentation of a malignant thyroid lesion, a secondary deposit from an asymptomatic primary papillary adenocarcinoma of lung, who had presented to this tertiary care center was retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: Patient with an initial diagnosis of papillary carcinoma on FNA was taken up for total thyroidectomy and cervical lmphadenectomy. HPR was mucinous carcinoma of thyroid with high lymph nodal metastasis. In view of the exrathyroidal disease an adjuvant external beam radiotherapy was considered for him. Unfortunately, the radiotherapy planning CT scan revealed left sided lung lesions with pleural effusion which was proved to be papillary adenocarcinoma of lung on biopsy, with metastases to thyroid. He was treated with chemotherapy but he succumbed to his illness 9 months from the date of diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Although encountered rarely, metastatic lesions in thyroid from nonthyroidal primaries need to be excluded while evaluating thyroid lesions.

Surgical resection of solitary distant metastasis from locoregionally controlled advanced hypopharyngeal malignancy: A ray of hope.

Head and neck malignancies have always been challenging for the clinician, both with regards to locoregional control and distant metastasis. Aggressive approaches translate to an acceptable locoregional control, but distant failures pose a dilemma. Newer, sophisticated, imaging modalities have helped in early diagnosis of solitary metastasis, and in turn have opened up an array of interventional procedures, which to some extent improve the disease-free survival and quality of life, as was seen in the present case of locoregionally controlled advanced hypopharyngeal malignancy who presented with solitary distant metastasis. Still, diligent care needs to be taken not to aggravate the scenario with these interventions.

Leiomyosarcoma of scrotum: A rare in-field second malignancy in a previously irradiated carcinoma of prostate and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Curative intent treatments for malignancies using radiation therapy while achieving longer disease-free survivals, may also lead to solid second malignancies, a dreaded late complication. Both in-field as well as out-field second malignancies are encountered and lead to diagnostic dilemma, and delay in treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Details of a case of rare, in-field, radiation induced leiomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue sarcoma, in a treated case of high risk carcinoma of prostate, who presented to our tertiary care centre was retrieved and analysed. CONCLUSION: Increasingly sophisticated radiotherapy techniques, while providing state of the art treatment options, does increase the potential risk of radiation-induced second-malignancies. Respecting integral-dose carries priority, until further studies elucidates mechanism of tumorigenesis.

Prognostic Factors in Primary Vaginal Cancer: A Single Institute Experience and Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND: Primary vaginal carcinoma is rare, accounting for 1-2 % of all gynecological malignancies. Being rare, most observations are based on retrospective and comparative analyses. This study was aimed to retrospectively analyze the prognostic factors and its relevance in the outcomes of primary vaginal cancers. MATERIALS: Medical records of all cases of primary vaginal cancers, presented to Department of Oncology, from 2004 to 2012, at a tertiary care center in southern India, were retrieved from electronic medical records, and were analyzed. RESULTS: The total number of cases was 32. Median age at presentation was 64.28 years. Squamous histology accounted for 84.4 %, with the rest being adenocarcinoma. Surgery was offered for five (15.6 %), and concurrent chemotherapy for 14 (43.8 %) patients. Three patients had only surgery. All others received radiotherapy. Twenty received external beam radiation (EBRT) and vaginal brachytherapy (VBT); seven only EBRT and two, adjuvant radiation. Five patients had residual disease; two, stage III, and three stage IV. Median follow-up was 55.83 months. Twelve patients were alive at last follow-up (37.5 %), while 14 were dead (43.8 %-8 of disease and 6 of other causes). Six patients were lost to follow-up (18.8 %). Twenty patients were disease free. Seven had recurrence, three loco-regional and four distant. Median overall survival (OS) was 86.1 months, disease-free survival (DFS) 90.17 months, and disease-specific survival (DSS) 97.13 months. When well and moderately differentiated tumors were taken together, the 5-year OS, DFS, and DSS rates were, 56.6, 64.3, and 82.3 %. For poorly differentiated tumors, median OS, DFS, and DSS were, 20.9, 14.6, and 20.9 months, with statistically significant advantage for better grade tumors, for DSS (p 0.050). Better 5-year OS, DFS, and DSS rates were observed for stage I + II group, with 54.9, 79.8, and 78.9 %, compared with advanced stage where the same were 54.8, 38.2, and 68.6 % (DFS-p 0.003, DSS-p 0.009). Grade and stage of tumor had statistically significant predictive value over the outcomes, while tumor size showed a significant trend. Patients treated with combination of EBRT and VBT fared well. CONCLUSION: Our study could conclude that grade of differentiation was a significant predictor of poor survival as was stage of disease. Combination of VBT and external beam radiotherapy provides good DFS.

Radiation dose to dysphagia aspiration-related structures and its effect on swallowing: Comparison of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy plans.

CONTEXT: Radiotherapy techniques have improved over years but have also raised concerns over subsequent acute and late effects. One such complication, dysphagia, has led to much interest and optimization in treatment delivery. AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare radiation dose to dysphagia aspiration related structures (DARS) in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), and assess its relation to post-treatment swallowing status, in patients of carcinoma of the anterior two thirds of tongue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Treatment plans of patients treated with IMRT and 3DCRT, from November 2011 to December 2012, were retrieved. Swallowing structures were contoured. Dose volume histograms were generated. Constraint doses were considered based on the statistical derivations. Swallowing status was evaluated based on University of Washington Head- and Neck-related Quality-of-Life questions addressing swallowing. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: IBM SPSS Statistics 20 Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used. Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's rho correlation coefficient, and receiver operating curves were used. RESULTS: Definitive statistical and subjective correlations were found to exist between doses of swallowing structures, especially the constrictor muscles, the base of the tongue and larynx. Probable mean dose constraints derived statistically clinically corroborates with the swallowing status of patients. IMRT had statistically significant advantage over 3DCRT, in terms of V30 (P - 0.051), V50 (P - 0.002), V60 (P - 0.002), and D80 (P - 0.023) for swallowing structures taken together. CONCLUSION: Our study is probably one of the few studies predicting possible mean dose constraints for superior constrictor, the base of the tongue and larynx. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these and to improve the swallowing quality.

Synchronous phalangeal metastases in upper and lower limbs from primary breast malignancy: a rare case scenario with a review of the literature.

Osseous metastasis from a primary breast cancer is common, and the skeletal related morbidity is high. However, solitary acral bony metastasis is rare and the diagnosis of these lesions poses a challenge to the physician. We describe a case of a patient treated with primary breast cancer who later presented with metastatic osteolytic bone lesions confined to a forefinger and toe.

Naughty knot: a case of nasogastric tube knotting.

Nasogastric intubation is a common procedure for enteral nutritional support in medical practice. Random spontaneous true knot formation in the tube is rarely encountered and is a cause of unanticipated trauma. This is a case of a true knot formation diagnosed with fluoroscopy and managed without untoward trauma.