Breast cancer in association with thyroid disorders.

PURPOSE: The relationship between breast cancer and thyroid diseases is controversial. Conflicting results have been reported in the literature. The incidence of autoimmune and non-autoimmune thyroid diseases were investigated in patients with breast cancer who had received prior therapy as compared with age-matched control individuals without breast or thyroid disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical and ultrasound evaluation of the thyroid gland, and determination of serum thyroid hormones and autoantibody levels were performed in 143 breast cancer patients and 128 healthy control individuals. Patients were classified into subgroups according to estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status and type of oncological treatment. RESULTS: The mean values for serum antibodies against thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) were 9 IU/ml and 25 IU/ml for antithyroglobulin antibodies (anti-TGB) in breast cancer patients, and 9.5 IU/ml and 23.5 IU/ml, respectively, in the control group (p>0.05. The difference between breast cancer patients and the control group in the incidence of autoimmune and non-autoimmune thyroid diseases was not statistically significant. No significant differences between the groups according to both menopausal status and ER status were seen (p= 0.67). Also, no significant influence of hormonal therapy with tamoxifen and chemotherapy on serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (fT4), TPO and TGB autoantibodies was proved. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a similar incidence of thyroid enlargement and the same frequency of thyroid disturbances in patients with breast cancer and controls. No relationship was found among ER and PR status, and the presence of serum thyroid autoantibodies. Although we have been unable to demonstrate any impact of breast cancer therapy on thyroid function tests, more prolonged studies with larger number of patients may be required to demonstrate significant trends.

Intratesticular arteriovenous malformation. Clinical course, ultrasound and MRI findings of an extremely rare lesion on a 7 year follow-up basis.

We present the clinical course, sonographic and MRI findings of an intratesticular arteriovenous malformation (AVM) found in a patient during routine check-up for infertility evaluation. Seven years ago, patient's refusal for surgical removal of the lesion led to follow-up ultrasound examinations and finally to an MRI examination. Arteriovenous malformations of male genitalia have been reported in the literature (penis, scrotum, spermatic cord and epididimys). However, this is the second case of an intratesticular AVM and the first one with a long clinical follow-up.

Image findings of a tailgut cyst. Case report and short review of the literature.

We present a case of retrorectal hamartoma (tailgut cyst). Imaging findings on ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, pathologic findings, as well as the diagnostic pitfalls during the patient's management are documented. As it is a rare lesion with a non specific clinical presentation, it is usually misdiagnosed. Our aim is to present image characteristics of these lesions in all modalities and include retrorectal hamartomas in our differential diagnosis in patients with lesions with similar image findings.