Malignant Middle Cerebral Artery Infarct Caused by Eagle's Syndrome.

Eagle's syndrome is characterised by elongation of the styloid process. The elongated styloid process can cause symptoms like dysphagia, facial or neck pain, syncope, visual changes, etc. In severe cases, it may cause a rupture or dissection of the carotid artery, which can lead to intracranial thrombo-embolism and ischemic stroke. We report a case of a 57-year-old male presenting with dysarthria and mild left-sided body weakness. An initial non-contrast computed tomography (CT) scan showed a possible right internal carotid artery thrombus. He developed worsening left-sided weakness and gaze palsy one day after the admission. Repeated CT brain and intracranial angiography were arranged, which showed significant oedema with mass effect and right internal carotid artery dissection with thrombus. He underwent decompressive craniectomy. An enlarged styloid process measuring 4.53 cm in close proximity to the cervical vasculature was also noted. He was not deemed an appropriate candidate for styloidectomy. Due to residual left-sided weakness, he had to take early retirement. He underwent extensive rehabilitation and was able to mobilize with the help of a quad stick after a period of nine months. At the five-year follow-up, there were no characteristic symptoms of Eagle's syndrome and he was mobilizing without support.

Extra Neural Metastasis Of Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Literature Review.

Extra-neural metastases of glioblastoma multiforme are uncommon with unidentified metastatic mechanism. There is no consensus over optimum treatment regimen. The current narrative review was planned to illuminate the presence criteria, sites of metastatic spread, incidence, mechanism, risk factors and management.

Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastasis to the Left Atrium.

Only 13 cases of renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the left atrium of the heart have been described. We report the case of a man in his 50s who had undergone radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma in 2006 and presented with amnesia at our neurology department in 2020. Magnetic resonance images of the brain showed metastatic lesions; subsequent computed tomograms of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis revealed a mass in the left atrium and multiple metastases in the lung, pleura, and pancreas. Our cardiologists advised against surgical removal of the left atrial mass because of a poor prognosis, so radiation therapy and immunotherapy were initiated instead.

Correlation of Arterial and Venous pH and Bicarbonate in Patients With Renal Failure.

Background and objective Blood gas analysis plays a pivotal role in the management of various respiratory and metabolic disorders. Both arterial and venous samples can be used for blood gas analysis. Arterial blood sampling is technically difficult and is associated with more complications as compared to venous sampling. Many studies have shown the correlation of arterial and venous pH and bicarbonate levels in sepsis, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and circulatory failure. But, there is a paucity of data, pertaining specifically to the correlation of arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis and venous blood gas (VBG) analysis in patients with renal failure. The objective of this study was to look for any possible correlation between arterial and venous pH and bicarbonate values in patients with renal failure. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out at a large tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Over a period of eight months, 101 patients with renal failure were enrolled after obtaining informed consent. Arterial and venous samples from the patients were obtained, analyzed, and compared. Results Out of the total 101 patients, 53 (52.5%) were male while 48 (47.5%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 46.23 ±15.54 years. Mean arterial pH and venous pH were 7.35 and 7.28 respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient between arterial and venous pH was found to be 0.857 (p<0.001). The mean arterial and venous bicarbonate values were 14.47 mEq/L and 15.51 mEq/L respectively. And the Pearson correlation coefficient between arterial and venous bicarbonate was found to be 0.842 (p<0.001).  Conclusion Venous pH and bicarbonate levels correlate strongly with arterial pH and bicarbonate levels, respectively, in patients with renal failure.

Assessment of Severity of Dengue Fever by Deranged Alanine Aminotransferase Levels.

Introduction Dengue fever (DF) is the most common arbovirus-related infection worldwide. Most of the dengue infections are asymptomatic. The clinical presentation of DF varies from mild febrile illness to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Both DHF and DSS are severe forms of illness and carry higher rates of mortality. Various clinical parameters are associated with severe DF. The objective of this study was to determine any relation between elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at presentation and development of severe DF. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out at a large tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Over a period of six months, 65 dengue patients were enrolled and their ALT levels were recorded at presentation. All the patients were managed as per guidelines in a similar way, and clinical course was followed for the development of severe forms of DF, such as DHF and DSS. Results Out of total 65 patients, 45 (69.2%) were males and 20 (30.8%) were females. Classical DF was present in 18 (27.7%) patients, whereas 47 (72.3%) patients developed DHF or DSS. Patients with DF had a mean ALT level of 131.67 (±244.48) U/L at presentation, whereas patients with DHF and DSS had a mean ALT level of 228.15 (±467.88) U/L at presentation. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare differences between ALT levels of both groups, and p value was found to be 0.018 (<0.05). Thus, it was concluded that there was a statistical difference between ALT levels of patients with simple DF and patients with DHF or DSS.  Conclusion Higher serum levels of ALT at presentation can give a clue about possibility of progression to severe forms of DF (DHF and DSS). Therefore, patients with higher ALT at presentation should be prioritized and monitored more rigorously.

Outcomes of Women with Non-Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Oman: A single-centre experience.

OBJECTIVES: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous variants of breast cancer. However, little is known regarding the prevalence and outcome of this entity in the Middle East. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of TNBC patients at a university hospital in Oman. METHODS: This retrospective study took place at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, in May 2017. All patients diagnosed with non-metastatic TNBC between December 2000 and December 2015 were included. The patients' electronic medical records were reviewed to identify their clinical and pathological characteristics as well as survival outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 79 patients were diagnosed with non-metastatic TNBC during the study period. The median age was 46 years, with approximately one-third of patients (31.6%) under 40 years of age. Almost half had an advanced tumour size (49.4%) or node-positive disease (48.1%) at presentation and only 16.6% demonstrated a complete pathological response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The median survival for all patients was not reached within the study period; however, the median overall survival for stage III patients was 44.6 months. The five-year overall survival for all patients was 64%, increasing to 100% and 72% for patients with stage I and II, respectively, and dropping to 47% for those with stage III disease. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that the majority of women with TNBC in Oman present at an advanced stage; moreover, such women have low rates of pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and poor five-year survival.

Treatment Of Breast Cancer; Review And Updates.

Cancer of the breast is the leading female cancer accounting for one fourth of the malignancies. The tumour remains the most researched, read and practiced upon around the Globe. The treatment has substantially improved breast cancer related outcomes, both for early as well as late stages with substantial improvements in disease free and overall survival. Therapeutic decisions not only rest on clinical & tumour characteristics, but also with the evolution of molecular biology and tissue microarray intrinsic sub-types have been found. Attempts are being made to translate therapy from genomic architecture of individual breast cancer. This facilitates customization of treatment avoiding un-necessary toxicity, costs and inconvenience. Optimizing treatment based on individual breast biology seems logical and allows unifying treatment. The paper reviews literature, incorporate updates and also describes immunohistochemistry based molecular classification: which are found simple to adapt, record, present and subsequently manage, summarizing clinical practices in management of these patients.

Trends and Outcomes of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in Omani Patients: Experience at a university hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of lung cancer in Oman has shown a gradual but definitive increase since 2002. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic and epidemiological characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at a university hospital in Oman. METHODS: This study was conducted from January to June 2016. A retrospective analysis was performed of consecutive patients diagnosed with NSCLC presenting to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Muscat, Oman, between March 2000 and December 2015. Clinical features at presentation and prognostic and predictive markers were reviewed. Kaplan-Meir estimates were used to determine relapse-free survival, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 104 patients presented to SQUH during the study period. The median age at diagnosis was 64 years. Overall, 62 patients (59.6%) had adenocarcinomas. Only 12 patients (11.5%) presented in the early stages (I or II) of the disease and the majority of patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 1 (27.9%) or 2 (26.0%). The prevalence of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations was 27.9%. The median PFS for patients with advanced disease (stages III or IV) was five months and the median OS for all patients was seven months. After five years, 50.0%, 60.0%, 10.0% and 8.0% of patients with disease stages I, II, III and IV, respectively, were alive. CONCLUSION: Patients with NSCLC in Oman were found to present at an advanced stage. However, patient outcomes were similar to those reported in the USA.

Anterior abdominal wall extraosseous osteosarcoma, occurring 40 years after para-aortic irradiation.

Extraskeletal osteosarcomas (OSs) are highly malignant soft tissue tumours associated with a poor prognosis. Only a few records of these rare aggressive neoplasms have been reported in the literature.We describe the case of a 49-year-old man, who presented to our tertiary care centre with a painful isolated lump around the umbilicus. After surgical biopsy, imaging and subsequent pathological analysis, the swelling was diagnosed to be a localised extraskeletal OS. He received previous radiation as treatment for testicular seminoma 40 years ago, which has been in remission ever since. He also happens to have testicular hydrocele since 10 years. He was subjected to resection and free flap reconstruction complicated by lower anterior abdominal wall haematoma and large pseudoaneurysm of the left femoral artery. Patient completed 60 Gy of adjuvant electron beam irradiation for close margins and is scheduled for adjuvant chemotherapy. We describe a brief account of his illness.

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Metastatic Breast Cancer in Omani Women.

Breast cancer (BC) in Oman affects younger women and has a more aggressive course. Clinical and biological variables like age, pregnancy, tumor size, type, grade, receptor expression and proliferation predict disease aggression but there is no direct predictor of metastasis except lymphovascular invasion. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is characterized by epithelial cells losing epithelial and acquiring mesenchymal morpho-immunophenotypic characteristics. In tumors, EMT-like transitions may signify a metastatic phenotype and have features in common with cancer stem cells (CSC) which show resistance to chemotherapy. This study aimed to identify EMT and CSC phenotypes in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer in Omani women and their association with conventional clinico-pathological predictors of BC. In a retrospective study of ninety-six Omani women with breast cancer, the association of age, pregnancy/lactation, tumor size, type, grade, ductal carcinoma insitu (DCIS), lymphovascular invasion, hormone/ HER2 receptor expression and Ki67 proliferation index (Ki67 PI) was tested with EMT/ CSC phenotype and metastasis. Young age ≤ 40 years, lymphovascular invasion and EMT had a strong association with metastasis; CSC approached significance. Vimentin expression in tumor cells, fibronectin and MMP-11 in stroma were reliable markers of EMT; dual EMT and CSC phenotype (Vim+/ CD44+/ CD 24-/low) had a strong association with apocrine variant, basal-like tumors and triple negative cancers. EMT had a strong association with Ki67 proliferation index (PI) and CSC with HER2-like tumors and distant metastasis. These select markers may be useful in metastasis-prediction in pre-treatment biopsies.

Colorectal Cancer Patient Characteristics, Treatment and Survival in Oman--a Single Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the most common gastrointestinal cancer in Oman with an increasing incidence. We here report the presenting features, treatment outcomes and survival in a University hospital in Oman and compare our data with regional and international studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of patients with colorectal cancer were reviewed retrospectively between June 2000 and December 2013 and were followed until June 2014. RESULTS: A total of 162 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The majority were males (58.6%), with a median age of 56 years. Rectum was involved in 29.6% of patients, followed by ascending and sigmoid colon. The majority of patients had stage III (42.6%) and stage IV (32.7%) disease at presentation. K-Ras status was checked for 79 patients, and 41 (51.9%) featured the wild type. Median relapse free survival was 22 months. Median overall survival for all patients was 43 months. Observed 5 year overall survival (OS) for stages I, II and III was 100%, 60% and 60% respectively. On Log rank univariate analysis, age, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, metformin use, stage, clinical nodal status for rectal cancer, pathological T and nodal status, site of metastasis, surgical intervention, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy regimen, no of cycles of chemotherapy, response, RFS, site of recurrence and administration of 2nd line chemotherapy were significant factors affecting OS. On Cox regression multivariate analysis none of the factors independently affected the OS. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients present with advanced disease and at young age. The survival rates are comparable to the published regional and international literature.

Use of port-a-cath in cancer patients: a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Central venous catheters play an important role in the management of cancer patients. Different types of devices are associated with different patterns of complications. We report on the pattern of use and rate of complications of port-a-caths in patients diagnosed with malignant cancer at a single institution. METHODOLOGY: The data were collected retrospectively from patients who received the treatment for solid tumors or lymphoma through a port-a-cath at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) between January 2007 and February 2013. RESULTS: A total of 117 port-a-caths were inserted in 106 patients. The majority (86; 73.5%) were implanted by an interventional radiologist, and the right internal jugular vein was accessed in 79 (67.5%) patients. Mean catheter indwelling time was 354 (range 3-1,876) days for all patients, 252 (3-1,876) and 389 days (13-1,139) for patients with and without complications, respectively. Thirty (25.6%) port-a-caths were removed prematurely, mainly due to infectious complications, while 17 (14.5%) were removed after completion of treatment. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism, found in 8 (6.8%) patients. Underlying diagnosis (p < 0.001), chemotherapy regimen (p < 0.001), sensitivity to antibiotics (p = 0.01), and any complication (p < 0.001) were significant factors affecting the duration of port-a-cath use. None of these factors were significant on multivariate cox regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The mean duration of port-a-cath use was almost one year. Infection was the most common complication leading to premature removal, followed by port thrombosis.

Squamous cell carcinoma of external auditory canal lacking epidermal growth factor receptor protein overexpression, in an elderly Omani with oculocutaneous albinism treated with palliative radiotherapy.

We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of external auditory canal in an Omani man with oculocutaneous albinism. The disease mimicked inflammatory process revealing positive cultures for various microorganisms during the course of his illness. He was eventually biopsied to rule out atypical infective process or presence of malignancy. He was staged as T4N0M0 and treated with radical doses of palliative radiation therapy which was very well tolerated and resulted in a complete resolution of disease clinically and a major soft tissue response on radiological imaging. Another unique finding was the absence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein overexpression in the tumour specimen. More than 90% of mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) involving the head and neck region overexpress the EGFR protein in normal skin patients. SCC is the predominant cutaneous malignancy in albinos, and the presence of EGFR protein overexpression in cutaneous SCC is believed to be 56-58% in normal skin patients. The scientific literature is scarce on reporting incidence of EGFR overexpression in either cutaneous or mucosal SCC in albinos, and it remains to be defined whether being albino is the cause for its absence.

Tobacco Smoking and Lung Cancer: Perception-changing facts.

Tobacco smoking remains the most established cause of lung carcinogenesis and other disease processes. Over the last 50 years, tobacco refinement and the introduction of filters have brought a change in histology, and now adenocarcinoma has become the most prevalent subtype. Over the last decade, smoking also has emerged as a strong prognostic and predictive patient characteristic along with other variables. This article briefly reviews scientific facts about tobacco, and the process and molecular pathways involved in lung carcinogenesis in smokers and never-smokers. The evidence from randomised trials about tobacco smoking's impact on lung cancer outcomes is also reviewed.

Metastatic invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast masquerading as a primary renal malignancy.

Breast cancer is known to metastasise to different organs in the body, but an initial presentation of breast cancer with loin pain secondary to a metastatic renal mass is extremely rare. We report a 58-year-old woman who presented with recurrent left loin pain due to a metastatic deposit of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast. The detection of a renal mass on computed tomography led to the assumption of a renal pelvic malignancy. The diagnostic dilemma posed by the detection of a breast mass during staging and the usefulness of immunohistochemistry in the confirmation of diagnosis are discussed.

Customised, Individualised Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC).

A series of phase II and randomised phase III trials in Asia and Europe have confirmed recently that advanced stage non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients with adenocarcinoma subtypes harbouring specific mutations when subjected to targeted therapy experience equivalent survival outcomes as those treated with chemotherapy and are spared from its side effects. The concept of chemotherapy for all is fading, and therapy optimisation has emerged as a paradigm shift in treatment. This article briefly describes cellular mechanisms involved in lung carcinogenesis which provide a molecular basis for targeted therapy. Advances in molecular biology have improved our understanding of mechanisms involved in primary or secondary drug resistance. Evolving biomarkers of prognostic and predictive importance, and the impact of translational research on outcomes are also covered. A marker is considered prognostic if it predicts the outcome, regardless of the treatment, and predictive if it predicts the outcome of a specific therapy.

Malignant neuroendocrine tumour of the gallbladder with elevated carcinoembryonic antigen: case report and literature review.

A 58-year-old woman presented to a tertiary care centre with signs and symptoms of acute cholecystitis, cholelithiasis and diagnoses of a high-grade neuroendocrine tumour of the gallbladder primarily with peritoneal and liver metastases. She had a liver abscess secondary to Salmonella and Enterococcus fecalis that was drained and treated with appropriate antibiotics. Interestingly, the serum chromogranin A levels were within normal limits, but carcinoembryonic antigen was elevated, which helped evaluate responses and pick progression. She was treated with 10 cycles of palliative chemotherapy when malignancy associated complications started to recur, that is, cholangitis, worsening pain, cachexia, intestinal obstruction, etc leading to chemotherapy delays. Her disease progressed during these times with rapid deterioration of performance status. She died of septic complications postlaparotomy for intestinal obstruction. Her progression-free survival remained for 8 months with subjective and objective improvements, and her overall survival remained at 13 months. We describe the course of her illness and give a brief review of the literature.

Improving Outcomes in Advanced Lung Cancer: Maintenance therapy in non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

Systemic chemotherapy has remained the traditional treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), enhancing survival rate at 1 year to 29%. The median survival had plateaued at around 10 months until early 2008, and in an attempt to enhance survival in advanced disease, maintenance chemotherapy trials were initiated which had recently demonstrated prolongation of survival by an additional 2-3 months in patients who had performance status (PS) 0-1 and well-preserved organ functions. Suitable patients with any degree of clinical benefit are treated with 4-6 cycles, and then one of the active agents is continued until best response, or toxicity (continued maintenance), or changed to a cross non-resistant single agent (switch maintenance). The article briefly reviews the evolution of systemic therapy and describes key randomised trials of maintenance therapy instituting chemotherapy and targeted agents in an attempt to improve outcomes in advanced metastatic NSCLC, based on certain clinical features, histology, and genetics.

Enteric adenocarcinoma lung: a rare presentation in an Omani woman.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma is a common neoplasm, yet the one with enteric or intestinal differentiation poses a diagnostic challenge to pathologists as it shares a common immunohistochemical profile with metastatic colorectal carcinoma. We report a case of a 61-year-old woman. She was on surveillance when incidentally she was discovered to have multiple bilateral lung nodules on imaging; the largest was surgically removed for histological examination. Morphology was consistent with a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma .The tumour cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, CDX2, CK20 and were negative for thyroid transcription factor 1. The morphology and immune histochemical profile raised the differential diagnosis of a metastatic colorectal carcinoma and a primary lung adenocarcinoma with enteric differentiation. On the basis of morphology and CK7 positivity we established the diagnosis of enteric-type adenocarcinoma of primary lung origin. She has completed planned courses of palliative chemotherapy and remains on surveillance.