ABSTRACT
The case of a 49-yr-old female, who developed fever, effort dyspnoea and cough, with patchy migratory bilateral pulmonary infiltrates 6 weeks after starting transtuzumab therapy, following breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and hormone therapy for breast carcinoma, is reported here. Chest radiograph and thin section computed tomography demonstrated alveolar opacities with air bronchogram in both lungs. A lung biopsy was performed in a nonirradiated area of the contralateral lung and revealed a typical histological pattern of organising pneumonia (previously known as bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia). Transtuzumab therapy was discontinued and subsequent gradual clinical and radiological improvement was observed. After 3 months, complete resolution of symptoms and radiographical abnormalities were noted. This is the first case report that suggests that transtuzumab therapy might induce the development of lung infiltrates with the histological appearance of organising pneumonia.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Antibodies, Monoclonal/adverse effects , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia/chemically induced , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Adenocarcinoma/surgery , Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized , Biopsy, Needle , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia/pathology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Mastectomy, Segmental , Middle Aged , Radiography, Thoracic , Risk Assessment , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , TrastuzumabABSTRACT
A case report of verrucous carcinoma of the cervix is presented. Verrucous carcinoma is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma with distinct clinical and histopathologic features, with a favorable prognosis. A 32-year-old woman had an abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral ovary transposition. Intravaginal brachytherapy using cesium 137 in a total dose of 60 Gy 0.5 cm from the vaginal layer was performed. Five year disease-free follow-up was observed. Macro- and microscopic examination of the tissue after hysterectomy was performed. The full thickness of the tumor is necessary for histopathological assessment. The cytology or superficial and simple biopsy may be misdiagnosed. The differentiating diagnosis among condyloma acuminata, verrucous carcinoma and invasive squamous cell carcinoma was analysed.
