Aortic sarcoma mimicking a mycotic aneurysm in the thoracoabdominal aorta

Leiomyosarcoma Presenting as Rupture With a Type II Endoleak After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair

Endovascular stent-graft therapy is a commonly performed procedure for aortic lesions worldwide and complications unique to stent grafts, such as postoperative endoleaks, are well known. However, as this treatment modality becomes more popular, physicians should carefully monitor for other unexpected complications, which may not always be related to the graft. This study presents a case of leiomyosarcoma of the aorta that developed during follow-up for a type II endoleak (T2EL) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The presence of the T2EL hindered the diagnosis of the sarcoma at an early stage. These findings suggest that an apparent aneurysm that grows suddenly during follow-up after stent grafting should raise the index of suspicion for a neoplasm as well as an endoleak.

A case of primary aortic sarcoma with tumor infarction after stent graft placement

Primary aortic sarcoma is a very rare disease, and most primary aortic tumors are malignant mesenchymal tumors. We present the case of a 62-year-old man with sudden epigastric and back pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass lesion about 33.8 mm in diameter, in contact with the left side of the abdominal aorta. Impending rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm was suspected, so cardiovascular surgery for stent graft placement was performed the same day. Symptoms immediately improved and CT at 3 months postoperatively showed a marked decrease in lesion size, but the lesion subsequently grew again. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/CT was performed due to the possibility of malignant solid tumor, revealing markedly increased FDG accumulation (maximum standardized uptake value, 36.95) in the mass lesion. Primary aortic sarcoma was diagnosed from thoracoscopic biopsy. Here, we report a primary aortic sarcoma that shrank due to tumor infarction after stent graft placement, followed by tumor regrowth.

Primary aortic intimal sarcoma masquerading as intramural hematoma

Primary aortic intimal sarcoma is a very rare disease and most patients present with features similar to those of atherosclerotic plaque and thrombus; however, primary aortic intimal sarcoma presents with features similar to those of intramural hematoma (IMH) on CT imaging and clinical presentation had never been previously reported. Here we report a case involving a 49-year-old woman with primary aortic intimal sarcoma masquerading as IMH on radiological images and clinical presentation. We also discuss some of the diagnostic pitfalls and hope that these diagnostic pitfalls will be very useful for clinicians.

Total resection of a giant retroperitoneal and mediastinal ganglioneuroma-case report and systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are extremely rare, slowly growing, benign tumors that can arise from Schwann cells, ganglion cells, and neuronal or fibrous tissues. Due to their origin from the sympathetic neural crest, they show neuroendocrine potential; however, most are reported to be hormonally inactive. Nevertheless, complete surgical removal is recommended for symptom control or for the prevention of potential malignant degeneration.

CASE REPORT

A 30-year-old female was referred to our oncologic center due to a giant retroperitoneal and mediastinal mass detected in computed tomography (CT) scans. The initial symptoms were transient nausea, diarrhea, and crampy abdominal pain. There was a positive family history including 5 first- and second-degree relatives. Presurgical biopsy revealed a benign ganglioneuroma. Total resection (TR) of a 35 × 25 × 25 cm, 2550-g tumor was obtained successfully via laparotomy combined with thoracotomy and partial incision of the diaphragm. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis. Surgically challenging aspects were the bilateral tumor invasion from the retroperitoneum into the mediastinum through the aortic hiatus with the need of a bilateral 2-cavity procedure, as well as the tumor-related displacement of the abdominal aorta, the mesenteric vessels, and the inferior vena cava. Due to their anatomic course through the tumor mass, the lumbar aortic vessels needed to be partially resected. Postoperative functioning was excellent without any sign of neurologic deficit.

CONCLUSION

Here, we present the largest case of a TR of a GN with retroperitoneal and mediastinal expansion. On review of the literature, this is the largest reported GN resected and was performed safely. Additionally, we present the first systematic literature review for large GN (> 10 cm) as well as for resected tumors growing from the abdominal cavity into the thoracic cavity.

Diagnostic Enigma: Spindle Cell Sarcoma of the Aorta Presenting as Pulmonary Embolism and Chronic Anaemia

Primary aortic sarcoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy with only approximately 190 cases reported in the literature. While angiosarcoma and intimal sarcomas represent an estimated 67.7% of malignant aortic tumours, spindle cell sarcomas are even more exclusive, consisting of only 0.9% of malignant aortic tumours. Differentiated from other malignant aortic tumours, spindle cell sarcomas are of mesenchymal origin and usually express vimentin and osteopontin. Clinical presentations are variable and nonspecific, ranging from back pain, abdominal pain or elevated blood pressure, misleading to differentials like pulmonary emboli or aortic aneurysms such as in our case here. In this article, we discuss the finding of an extremely rare aortic sarcoma masquerading as a pulmonary embolism. The patient underwent surgical resection; however, the course was complicated by the development of brain metastases and intracranial haemorrhage. The literature is expanding regarding the evolution of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the treatment of these patients. The exact pathogenesis of spindle cell sarcomas is unknown but thought to be related to the MDM2-p53 pathway. The development of spindle cell sarcomas may be related to Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which should be on the differential for these patients. This case highlights the importance of identifying aortic sarcomas in patients who present with signs and symptoms of peripheral embolization as the diagnosis can be easily misconstrued for thrombus or aortic aneurysm, leading to a delay in proper and timely management. We herein emphasize that aortic sarcomas should be included in the clinician’s working differential due to the poor prognosis and outcomes that these aggressive tumours carry.