A Rare Case of Pertuzumab-Induced Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

Pertuzumab is a targeted therapy drug that is employed in the management of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer and works by blocking the ability of cancer cells to receive growth and proliferation signals. Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe cutaneous manifestation characterized by widespread erythema, necrosis, and bullous detachment of the skin involving more than 10% of the body surface area (BSA) and may be precipitated by an immunologic response to the administration of certain medications. However, TEN development as a consequence of HER2 inhibitor therapy has not been described in the existing literature. A 44-year-old female with a history of metastatic breast cancer to the liver presented with a diffuse blistering rash following a first-time administration of pertuzumab three days prior. Her rash began as painful and pruritic blisters 12 hours after the last infusion of pertuzumab and progressed to involve her arms, chest, groin, and thighs with a positive Nikolsky sign. She was managed supportively with high-dose steroids and antihistamines, and although her hospital course was complicated by hypotension requiring pressor support, she gradually made a full recovery and was released to a rehabilitation facility.

BK-Virus-Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis in a Patient With Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

The BK virus is a polyomavirus known to particularly affect transplant recipients. An important complication caused by BK virus infection in bone marrow transplant patients is hemorrhagic cystitis. We present a 31-year-old male with a history of bone marrow transplantation complicated by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and was diagnosed with BK virus-related hemorrhagic cystitis. He presented with gross hematuria and suprapubic and penile pain for one week. He has a significant past medical history of acute B-cell lymphocytic leukemia for which he has successfully undergone allogenic bone marrow transplantation, which was complicated by GVHD. Imaging revealed significant bladder wall thickening which prompted an evaluation for BK virus-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. A urinary specimen was sent for BK virus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which was strongly positive, confirming the infection. He was managed supportively throughout his hospitalization and improved with symptomatic management alone. Our case demonstrates one of the main complications caused by the BK virus in allogeneic bone marrow transplant patients in the setting of GVHD and is an important differential to keep in mind when treating patients presenting with hematuria after bone marrow transplantation.

A Case of Plasmablastic Multiple Myeloma With Extramedullary Disease Manifesting as a Myelomatous Pleural Effusion.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplasm of plasma cell origin characterized by the proliferation of immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells in the bone marrow. Extramedullary disease (EMD) occurs in approximately 10% of patients with MM. Myelomatous pleural effusion (MPE) is a possible manifestation of EMD and has been associated with a poorer prognosis. A 66-year-old female was evaluated after an abnormal serum protein electrophoresis that showed a 2.1 g/dL M-spike in the gamma region, highly suggestive of plasma cell dyscrasia. Imaging subsequently confirmed the bony metastasis. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed plasmablastic MM, and she was started on chemotherapy. She presented three months later with bilateral pleural effusions, with cytology revealing neoplastic plasmacytoid cells. Despite transitioning to dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin (the V-DCEP regimen) due to disease progression, her myeloma remained refractory to treatment, and she expired one month later. MPE in MM is associated with a poor prognosis, with a median overall survival (OS) of 13 months in MPE compared to 37 months in other EMDs. A higher tumor burden and greater multisite extra-medullary lesions are also characteristics of MPE in MM. There is no standard of care for the management of EMD, and salvage regimens such as RVD and V-DCEP are commonly employed. The management of MM with EMD remains a challenge, and more investigation is required before effective treatment regimens may be employed in this setting.

Value-based attentional capture influences context-dependent decision-making.

Normative theories posit that value-based decision-making is context independent. However, decisions between two high-value options can be suboptimally biased by the introduction of a third low-value option. This context-dependent modulation is consistent with the divisive normalization of the value of each stimulus by the total value of all stimuli. In addition, an independent line of research demonstrates that pairing a stimulus with a high-value outcome can lead to attentional capture that can mediate the efficiency of visual information processing. Here we tested the hypothesis that value-based attentional capture interacts with value-based normalization to influence the optimality of decision-making. We used a binary-choice paradigm in which observers selected between two targets and the color of each target indicated the magnitude of their reward potential. Observers also had to simultaneously ignore a task-irrelevant distractor rendered in a color that was previously associated with a specific reward magnitude. When the color of the task-irrelevant distractor was previously associated with a high reward, observers responded more slowly and less optimally. Moreover, as the learned value of the distractor increased, electrophysiological data revealed an attenuation of the lateralized N1 and N2Pc responses evoked by the relevant choice stimuli and an attenuation of the late positive deflection (LPD). Collectively, these behavioral and electrophysiological data suggest that value-based attentional capture and value-based normalization jointly mediate the influence of context on free-choice decision-making.