Pheochromocytoma-related cardiomyopathy during the antepartum period in a preterm pregnant woman.

We report a rare case of pheochromocytoma-related cardiomyopathy during the preterm period. The patient was a 33-year-old woman who was referred to our hospital at 34 weeks' gestation. Her pulse was 130 beats/min, blood pressure of 186/90 mmHg and oxygen saturation was 30-40%. Fetal bradycardia prompted an emergency cesarean section and, nine minutes after admission, a boy weighing 2774 g was delivered with Apgar scores of 2 at 1 min and 5 at 5 min. A preoperative echocardiogram showed reduced fractional shortening of 19%. At 8 h after the operation, cardiac arrest developed. An intra-aortic balloon pump and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support were inserted, and continuous hemodiafiltration was also commenced, after which her cardiac function and respiratory function gradually improved. Urinary catecholamine levels were elevated and abdominal computerized tomography confirmed the presence of a right suprarenal mass. Four months after delivery, she underwent a laparoscopic adrenalectomy and the mass was found to be a pheochromocytoma.

[Treatment with S-1 and radiation therapy for advanced lung cancer invading chest wall].

The patient was a 63-year-old man, who had been suffering from lung cancer with left chest wall invasion and contralateral pulmonary metastases. Due to the severe pain caused by this advanced lung cancer with poor performance status (PS), oxycodone was administered for treatment. Radiotherapy was used for local tumor control and oral S-1 was given as systemic chemotherapy. The local control rate (near CR) and the PS were improved effectively by this combination of palliative treatment. As a result, he was allowed to return home and followed as an outpatient. Our experience suggests that positive palliative treatment improves the quality of life (QOL) of patients and provides survival benefits.