Incidentally Discovered Giant Benign Ovarian Serous Cystadenoma in Elective Bariatric Surgery.

Ovarian cystadenomas are benign epithelial neoplasms, many of which are of the serous subtype. Most patients present with symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and bladder issues. This patient, who had a BMI of 45, presented with a giant ovarian serous cystadenoma identified during an elective bariatric surgery; interestingly, she was completely asymptomatic at the time of discovery. A large, predominantly cystic pelvic mass with internal septations and soft tissue components, suspicious for ovarian neoplasm, was discovered on a CT abdomen and pelvis with IV contrast. She underwent an exploratory laparotomy with complete resection, right oophorectomy, and ovarian cystectomy. Her postoperative pathology report revealed the mass to be a benign serous cystadenoma. This case serves as an example of how a massive tumor can potentially get overlooked for many years, only to be detected unintentionally in an asymptomatic patient. Healthcare quality is often negatively impacted by the inherent prejudice that many healthcare providers have toward their obese patients. Providers may mistakenly over-attribute a patient's symptoms to their obesity, failing to effectively evaluate the patient's concerns, which could lead to overlooking potentially harmful diagnoses. A comprehensive history and physical exam in all patients, especially those who are obese, is vital in ensuring timely diagnosis and management to improve patient outcomes.

Early Discharge of Adolescent and Young Adult Patients During Induction Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Is It Safe?

There is a lack of consensus for safely discharging adolescent and young adults (AYA) with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. From 2017 to 2019 we evaluated predefined early discharge criteria for 41 AYA patients during induction chemotherapy. Only 17% (7/41) of patients met criteria for early discharge. Two (29%) patients who were discharged early were readmitted, but not to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This outcome was compared to a historic cohort at our institution of 73 patients who were discharged without predefined discharge criteria. Twenty-seven (37%, p = 0.7) patients were readmitted, but 13 (48%) were readmitted to the PICU (p = 0.004).

Venous Thromboembolic Events in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Acute venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) are serious complications that occur during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) chemotherapy. The data elucidating risk factors for developing VTEs are limited in adolescent and young adult patients being treated per pediatric ALL protocols. In a cohort of 66 patients, 14 (21%) experienced VTEs. The majority of VTEs occurred during induction chemotherapy after the first dose of asparaginase, and in the upper extremities. Five-year relapse-free and overall survival were not impacted by VTEs. Contrary to VTEs in adults, hypoalbuminemia and increased body mass index were not associated with an elevated risk of VTE.

Inhibition of CaMKK2 Enhances Fracture Healing by Stimulating Indian Hedgehog Signaling and Accelerating Endochondral Ossification.

Approximately 10% of all bone fractures do not heal, resulting in patient morbidity and healthcare costs. However, no pharmacological treatments are currently available to promote efficient bone healing. Inhibition of Ca2+ /calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) reverses age-associated loss of trabecular and cortical bone volume and strength in mice. In the current study, we investigated the role of CaMKK2 in bone fracture healing and show that its pharmacological inhibition using STO-609 accelerates early cellular and molecular events associated with endochondral ossification, resulting in a more rapid and efficient healing of the fracture. Within 7 days postfracture, treatment with STO-609 resulted in enhanced Indian hedgehog signaling, paired-related homeobox (PRX1)-positive mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) recruitment, and chondrocyte differentiation and hypertrophy, along with elevated expression of osterix, vascular endothelial growth factor, and type 1 collagen at the fracture callus. Early deposition of primary bone by osteoblasts resulted in STO-609-treated mice possessing significantly higher callus bone volume by 14 days following fracture. Subsequent rapid maturation of the bone matrix bestowed fractured bones in STO-609-treated animals with significantly higher torsional strength and stiffness by 28 days postinjury, indicating accelerated healing of the fracture. Previous studies indicate that fixed and closed femoral fractures in the mice take 35 days to fully heal without treatment. Therefore, our data suggest that STO-609 potentiates a 20% acceleration of the bone healing process. Moreover, inhibiting CaMKK2 also imparted higher mechanical strength and stiffness at the contralateral cortical bone within 4 weeks of treatment. Taken together, the data presented here underscore the therapeutic potential of targeting CaMKK2 to promote efficacious and rapid healing of bone fractures and as a mechanism to strengthen normal bones. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.