Knowledge and Perceptions of the End of Life among Tunisian Medical and Paramedical Staff.

Purpose: End-of-life (EOL) care is a vulnerable period in an individual's life. Healthcare professionals (HPs) strive to balance the preservation of human life with respect for the patient's wishes. The aims of our study were to assess HPs' knowledge and perceptions of EOL care and to propose areas of improvement to improve the quality of care. Methods: We conducted a single-center, cross-sectional study involving HPs from a university hospital who encountered EOL care situations. We used a questionnaire divided into four sections knowledge, practice, perception, and training. We calculated the rate of correct answers and the collective competence index. Results: Eighty-six questionnaires were analyzed, with 82.5% (71/86) completed by medical respondents and 17.5% (15/86) by paramedical respondents. Most of the respondents, 71.8% (51/71), were interns and residents. The study focused on palliative care, medical assistance in dying, aggressive medical treatment, and euthanasia, finding adequate knowledge in the first three areas. Respondents assigned to the intensive care unit and those with more than 8 years of experience had significantly higher correct answer rates than their counterparts. Seventy-five percent of respondents (65/86) reported feeling that they had little or no mastery of EOL care, primarily attributing this to insufficient training and the unavailability of trainers. Conclusion: Based on the findings of our study, which we believe to be the first of its kind in Tunisia, we can conclude that HPs possess an acceptable level of knowledge regarding EOL care. However, they require more exposure and training to develop expertise in this area.

Synchronous presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Report of an exceptional case with review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: The occurrence of distinct synchronous hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is extremely rare. Less than 50 cases have been reported in the literature. The aim of our study was to describe the clinicopathological features of this association. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old female patient with chronic hepatitis C cirrhosis presented with three hepatic nodules affecting segments IV, VIII and V during follow-up of her disease. Only the V-segment nodule was radiologically suspicious of malignancy (classified as LI-RADS5). These nodules were resected after discussion of the case in a multidisciplinary meeting. Histological examination showed that the nodules in segments VIII and V corresponded respectively to an HCC with immunohistochemistry showing HepPar1 (+), CK7(-) and CK19(-), and to an intrahepatic CC with immunohistochemistry showing HepPar1 (-), CK7(+) and CK19(+). The excision was radical. The post-operative course was uncomplicated. After a 6-month follow-up, the patient did not develop any locoregional recurrence or metastases. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Synchronous association of HCC and CC is very uncommon, and diagnosis is based on pathological and immunohistochemical examination. Infection with the HCV represents a major risk factor for simultaneous association. Synchronous presentation in HCV-infected individuals has been associated with a poorer prognosis compared with cases where only a single type of liver cancer is present. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of this association is generally poor, notably due to the aggressive behavior of CC. Surgical resection remains the first-line treatment option, when possible, but comprehensive management of these complex cases requires a multidisciplinary approach tailored to each patient's specific circumstances.

One-stage combined approach en bloc vertebrectomy for primary Ewing's sarcoma of mobile spine in an adult patient: 3 years following aggressive surgery for a rare entity.

Key Clinical Message: Currently, there is no consensus on the optimal management of nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of the mobile spine. However, associated to chemotherapy, aggressive surgery with en bloc wide resection seems to improve local control and survival. Abstract: Primary Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) of non-sacral spine is extremely rare, especially in middle-age. Therapeutic strategy aims: to large tumor resection, to provide spine stability and to avoid recurrence through chemo and radiotherapy. We report a case of thoracic spine EWS in an adult treated by combined approach en bloc vertebrectomy.

Infected, giant borderline ovarian tumor: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Gigantic borderline ovarian cancer, also known as giant borderline ovarian tumor, is a rare subtype of borderline ovarian cancer. This type of ovarian cyst can be associated to various complication, including superinfection. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 30-year-old woman who sought medical attention due to chronic abdominal pain and a rapid increase in abdominal girth over the past four months. Pelvic ultrasound and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an abdominal-pelvic mass of 27 ∗ 12 cm. The tumoral markers were elevated. During her hospitalization, she developed a fever along with abdominal pain and biological inflammatory syndrome. Surgical intervention a 30-cm-long solid cystic mass located on the right ovary, accompanied by moderate ascites. The surgical procedure included a right adnexectomy, omentectomy, and appendicectomy, with cytology performed. Postoperative antibiotics were administered, and the patient showed favorable clinical and biological progress. The anatomopathological examination confirmed a 35-cm borderline mucinous tumor with signs of infection. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Giant borderline ovarian tumor is characterized by the presence of an ovarian mass measuring at least 10 cm in diameter. Infectious complications are rare, and their clinical features usually mimic those of a peritonitis. Treatment is based on antibiotics and chirurgical removal of the tumor based on the FIGO classification along with peritoneal biopsies and cytology. CONCLUSION: This study explores the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of infected giant borderline ovarian tumors.

[CD10 expression in stromal cells of patients with breast cancer: a poor prognostic marker]. / Expression stromale de CD10 dans les cancers du sein: marqueur de mauvais pronostic.

INTRODUCTION: markers in breast cancer stem cells, such as cluster of differentiation 10 (CD10), would be correlated with invasive and metastatic potential of several types of cancer, contributing to tumor growth and metastases. In patients with breast cancer, its prognostic value is still controversial, given the discrepancy of results. The purpose of the study was to study CD10 expression in stromal cells of patients with breast cancer as well as to evaluate the prognostic value of this expression. METHOD: we conducted a retrospective, descriptive and prognostic study. It involved 57 patients with invasive cancer of no special type, whose data were collected in the Department of Pathological Anatomy at the Mongi Slim Hospital over a 38-month period. CD10 expression was studied immunohistochemically and interpreted by semi-quantitative scoring system based on three categories with thresholds of 10 and 30%. RESULTS: the average age of patients was 56.4 years. Twenty-eight patients (49%) had labeled CD10 stromal, half of patients had a score of 1 (low) and the other half had 2 (high). This labeling significantly reduced recurrence-free survival (p=0.001). However, it had no influence on overall survival (p=0.84). The correlation study showed that CD10 expression in stromal cells was significantly correlated with 12 poor prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer. CONCLUSION: CD10 expression in stromal cells of invasive breast cancer is a poor prognostic factor, predictive of poor survival without recurrence and associated with a high invasive and metastatic potential.

Clonal seborrheic keratosis: a rare skin tumor.

Seborrheic keratosis is a benign epidermal neoplasm, representing one of the most common skin tumors. Clonal seborrheic keratosis is one of the histological subtypes of this entity. It is an uncommon lesion which may resemble other benign or malignant lesion. We report a case of a 60-year-old woman presented with a 7 year history of a gradually growing, cutaneous lesion on her left arm. On physical examination, the lesion was elevated, well-circumscribed, measuring 5 cm in maximum diameter. The tumor was biopsied. Histopathological examination revealed the presence of well-defined nests of clear-looking or basaloid keratinocytes within an acanthotic epidermis, corresponding to the Borst-Jadassohn phenomenon. The tumor cells were small and monomorphic. We diagnosed this tumor as clonal seborrheic keratosis. Although surgical excision was recommended, our patient refused an operation. This case of clonal seborrheic keratosis is presented for its rarity and for differential diagnosis.

[Unexpected discovery of isolated osteochondroma in the pubic symphysis]. / Ostéochondrome solitaire de la symphyse pubienne de découverte fortuite.

Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor. It usually affects the metaphyses of the long bones, in particular around the knee and the proximal humerus. It very rarely affects the pubic symphysis, usually with an atypical symptomatology. We here report the case of a 35-year old man in whom osteochondroma in the pubic symphysis encroaching on the iliopubic branch was fortuitously discovered. Radiological examinations as well as macroscopic and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis and the absence of signs of malignancy.

A disconcerting false gastric diverticulum mimicking malignancy.

Gastric diverticula are the most uncommon form of gastrointestinal diverticula. They can either be of true or false type with different pathogenesis. They may be very challenging to diagnose as symptoms are nonspecific and imaging can simulate a malignant lesion. We report an unusual case of pre-pyloric diverticulum in a 69-year-old man, leading to severe gastric obstruction with a poor general condition. As subsequent endoscopy and imaging were alarming and couldn't exclude malignancy, the patient underwent an antrectomy. The final diagnosis was made on pathological examination. We discuss, through this case, the clinical and pathological features of gastric diverticula with an emphasis on the pathogenesis of this rare entity and the risk of a malignant transformation.

[Colon adenocarcinoma and synchronous type 1 papillary renal cell carcinoma: a unique association]. / Adénocarcinome colique et carcinome à cellules rénales papillaire de type 1 synchrones: une association exceptionnelle.

The detection of primary tumors synchronous with colorectal cancer has been the subject of multiple publications. This association can occur sporadically or fall under the framework of well defined clinical syndromes such as Lynch syndrome. Synchronous association of colorectal cancer (CRC) and renal cell carcinoma is rare. It is even more rare when renal cell carcinoma is of papillary origin, with only 2 cases reported in the literature. The association between CRC and renal cell carcinoma does not seem to be related to mismatch repair proteins (MMR) abnormality and does not include, up to now, any clinical syndrome. We report the case of a 69-year old woman with colorectal cancer associated with synchronous type 1 papillary renal cell carcinoma unexpectedly detected during screening for CRC. We here discuss the pathogenesis as well as the prognosis of this rarely described entity.

Gastric Schwannoma: A Case Report.

Schwannomas are generally benign, slow growing tumors. They are rarely observed in the gastrointestinal tract with the most common site being the stomach. These tumors are usually asymptomatic. The preoperative diagnosis via endoscopy is a challenging issue due to the difficulty of differentiation from other submucosal tumors. A 54-year-old woman presented with epigastric pain persisting for the last 10 months. Upper endoscopy revealed an elevated submucosal mass of the gastric antrum. The overlying mucosa was normal. Biopsy specimens yielded only unspecific signs of mild inactive chronic inflammation. Endoscopic ultrasound examination noted a hypoechoic homogeneous mass lesion located in the gastric antrum. The mass appeared to arise from the muscularis propria, and there was no perigastric lymphadenopathy. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan identified a homogeneous round mass and arising from the antrum of the stomach. Submucosal tumor was suspected and surgical intervention was recommended. The patient underwent an elective laparoscopic partial gastrectomy. The histopathologic features and immunohistochemical-staining pattern were consistent with a benign gastric schwannoma. Our patient shows no recurrence with a follow-up of one year. The definitive diagnosis of gastric schwannomas requires immunohistochemical studies. Complete margin negative surgical resection, as in this case, is the curative treatment of choice. The clinical course is generally benign.

[Primary renal carcinoid metastasizing to distant sites 12 years after the initial diagnosis]. / Carcinoïde primitif du rein métastasant après 12 ans.

Primary renal cancinoids are rare, with one hundred cases reported in the literature. Histologically, it is a well-differentiated tumor which shares a morphological pattern similar to that seen in carcinoids identified at other anatomic locations. We report a case of a 45-year-old man with primitive renal carcinoid, with diagnosis made after the detection of liver metastases. The tumour was peculiar given its tubulopapillary architecture, wrongly suggesting a diagnosis of papillary renal carcinoma. This diagnosis was revised 12 years after, following the appearance of other liver, bone and lung metastases.

[Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver: about two cases]. / Le nodule nécrotique solitaire du foie: à propos de deux cas.

Nodular liver lesions mainly consist of tumors. Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver is rare. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult. We report the case of a 43-year old woman undergoing surgery for the treatment of a rectal adenocarcinoma metastatized to the liver. Abdominal CT scan showed liver nodule mimicking liver metastasis. The second case is that of a 56 year-old man undergoing cholecystectomy in whom a liver nodule was detected intraoperatively. In both cases, liver nodule was subcapsular and was resected. Anatomopathological examination allowed the diagnosis of solitary necrotic nodule of the liver. Nonspecific necrotic nodule of the liver should be suspected in liver lesions, even in neoplastic context. Characterization using imaging studies and puncture biopsy of liver lesions can be useful.