Inflammatory pseudotumor causing small bowel obstruction and mimicking lymphoma in a patient with AIDS: clinical improvement after initiation of thalidomide treatment

HIV-related bilateral inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the adrenal gland: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare disease that mostly occurs in younger people and is located in the lungs in the general population. We report a rare case of adrenal IMT in a patient with HIV infection, which is believed to be the first of its kind worldwide.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a rare case of a 44-year-old man with HIV infection who was diagnosed with adrenal IMT. The patient refused regular highly active antiretroviral therapy 13 years ago until he was admitted to hospital after an adrenal mass was found. The patient underwent successful computed-tomography-guided needle biopsy, and pathological analysis showed fibroblastic-myofibroblastic proliferation with inflammatory infiltration, which confirmed a diagnosis of IMT. We failed to perform complete resection of the tumor because of its diffuse invasion. The patient was complicated with severe multiple pulmonary infections postoperatively because of immunodeficiency, which eventually caused his death 2 months later.

CONCLUSION

Differential diagnosis of IMT is difficult, and tumor biopsy is an essential means of diagnosis. Surgical resection is preferred for both adrenal and HIV-related IMTs. Conservative treatment should be considered when there are technical difficulties with complete resection, and most patients have achieved good outcomes. However, more cases and longer follow-up are warranted to confirm long-term outcomes of HIV-related IMT.

Opportunistic penicilliosis infection causing intestinal obstruction in people living with HIV complicating antiretroviral therapy

We report a retroviral positive patient who presented to us with recurrent skin lesions along with intermittent, colicky periumbilical abdominal pain associated with non-projectile, postprandial vomiting. Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) of abdomen and pelvis was suggestive of proximal jejunal obstruction. Double balloon enteroscopy done which showed extensive deep ulceration with surrounding nodular surface and friable mucosa at 60 cm from pylorus with luminal narrowing. The biopsy from this region as well as the skin lesion on the forehead grew Talaromyces marneffei She was initially treated with liposomal amphotericin B for 2 weeks following which she received itraconazole for 3 weeks for disseminated talaromycosis infection. She had already been started on antiretroviral therapy (ART) 1 year back however her cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) counts did not show any improvement. Proximal bowel obstruction leading to poor nutritional status compounded with ineffective ART therapy due to suboptimal absorption, dictated the staged management of her condition. Feeding jejunostomy was done with a plan to offer her resection and anastomosis of affected jejunal segment, should she require one, after optimising her nutritional and immunological status.

Ultrasonic Manifestations of Mesenteric Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors in Children

Objective: To explore the ultrasonic manifestations of mesenteric inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) in children. Methods: Seven patients with mesenteric IMTs were retrospectively analyzed. The ultrasonic manifestations, such as the locations, sizes, morphology, borders, internal echo, blood flow, and metastasis, of the tumors were detected. Results: In all the seven pediatric patients, a solitary lesion was found for the mesenteric IMTs, including five cases in the ileocecal mesentery and two cases in the mesentery of ascending colon. All the single tumors were revealed as irregular hypoechoic masses with uneven internal echoes and enhanced echoes in the surrounding intestine and omentum. Internal blood flow signals were enriched in the tumors. The borders were clear in five cases and unclear in two cases. In addition, two cases had peritoneal effusion and one case had calcified plaques. In the follow-up studies, one of the seven IMT patients had malignant transformation, and one case was transferred to the pelvic cavity. Conclusion: Ultrasonic examination can clearly demonstrate the locations, sizes, morphology, borders, internal echo, blood flow as well as metastasis of the pediatric IMT of the mesentery, having an important clinical application value as an adjunct to computed tomography (CT).

Myofibroblastic infiltration of the bowel: A case report and literature review

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IMTS are aggressive lesions but metastases is rare.

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Abdominal IMTS are difficult to diagnose and manage.

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The therapy of choice is surgical resection of the tumour.

Introduction

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMTs), are uncommon tumours which can act with malignant potential. The management of these tumours can be extremely problematic but are often referred to surgical multi-disciplinary team meetings with the intention of surgical and oncological management (Chaudhary [1]).

Case report

A 69-year-old gentleman was admitted with a 2-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting, and a 4-day history of absolute constipation. CT Abdomen Pelvis demonstrated distended loops of small bowel with pronounced fluid levels but no transition point. Intra-operative findings showed a right ileocolic mass adherent to the pelvic side wall and omental caking. Biopsies showed a florid myofibroblastic reaction, not a malignant process.

Conclusion

IMTS are aggressive lesions but metastases is rare. Abdominal IMTS are difficult to diagnose and manage as they are often initially mistaken for lymphoma or peritoneal metastases. The therapy of choice is surgical resection of the tumour (Firat et al. [3]).

Small bowel obstruction due to mesenteric abscess caused by Mycobacterium avium complex in an HIV patient: a case report and literature review

Small bowel obstruction in HIV patients is reportedly caused by inflammatory pseudotumor, Kaposi's sarcoma, cryptococcal lymphadenopathy and intestinal tuberculosis. The incidence of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in HIV patients is 3% for CD4 cell count of 100-199 /mm³. MAC causing small bowel obstruction is rarely reported in the literature. We report a rare case of MAC causing mesenteric abscess with small bowel obstruction in a HIV patient with a CD4 cell count of 144 /mm³. Patient was a 35-year-old HIV-positive male on highly active antiretroviral therapy who presented with partial small bowel obstruction secondary to mesenteric abscess. He underwent operative intervention for drainage with cultures growing MAC.

A caecal pseoudotumour with an incidental adenomatoid testicular tumour in a man with right undescended testis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory pseudotumour refers to a non-malignant tumour-like mass resulting from an inflammatory reaction that is composed of granulation tissue with leukocyte infiltration that commonly occurs in the paediatric or young adult population. These tumours occur more commonly in the lungs and the orbit but rarely does it affect the gastrointestinal tract. It poses a clinical diagnostic challenge since it is a benign condition than can mimic the malignant counterpart. Our case is a rare presentation of the caecal pseudotumour in the presence of a right undescended abdominal testis evaluated as a caecal tumour with a differential diagnosis of a testicular malignancy.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a 53-year-old male who presented with clinical signs suggestive of right colon tumour and undescended right testis. Intra-operatively, a caecal mass was found with no clearly discernable appendix and extensive adhesion of the right colon to the retroperitoneum, to the liver and gall bladder. A testis was found adherent to the posterior aspect of the caecum and terminal ileum. A right hemicolectomy was performed. Histopathology findings revealed an inflammatory mass with abundant fibroblast proliferation and chronic inflammatory cells infiltrate, involving bowel wall and periceacal adipose tissue; no malignant cells were identified. The testis had within it an adenomatoid tumour nodule. He had uneventful recovery and was discharged home 7 days post-operatively. At the moment, he is symptoms free.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of right colonic inflammatory pseudotumour and co-existent adenomatoid testicular tumour arising from a cryptorchid testis is very unusual. This would make one incline towards a malignant testicular lesion in the presence of cryptorchidism. Testicular adenomatoid tumour is a rare benign neoplasm, mostly affecting fully descended testis and usually does not warrant orchidectomy for purposes of preserving testicular function. On the other hand, surgical resection remains the only safe and curative treatment option available for inflammatory pseudotumours.

The great mimicker: a rare case of head and neck inflammatory pseudotumour in the presence of human immunodeficiency virus

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory pseudotumours of the head and neck are rare. A connection has been made between inflammatory pseudotumours and human immunodeficiency virus positivity.

CASE REPORT

This paper reports a case of an inflammatory pseudotumour presenting with a lesion in the left tonsil and left cervical lymph node in a 49-year-old human immunodeficiency virus positive patient. A histological diagnosis was obtained after biopsy and serial radiological imaging.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic uncertainties can lead to unnecessary surgery. It is important to recognise the clinical, radiological and histological indicators of an inflammatory pseudotumour to enable a timely diagnosis and arrange appropriate treatment. In patients with co-morbidities causing immunocompromise, the potential diagnosis of an inflammatory pseudotumour should be considered. This is especially the case in human immunodeficiency virus patients, as inflammatory pseudotumours have been associated with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, which can manifest up to several years after the initiation of, or change in, antiretroviral therapies.

Gastrointestinal malignancies in HIV-infected or immunosuppressed patients: pathologic features and review of the literature

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a common internal organ to be involved by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related malignancies. It is the second most common site for Kaposi sarcoma after skin, and the commonest visceral site, for Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients. GI lymphomas have been documented in approximately 25% of AIDS patients with systemic lymphomas. Moreover, GI involvement of AIDS-lymphoma has been associated with poor prognosis and short survival. Several other malignancies that occur in the GI tract are also closely related to HIV-infected or immunosuppressed individuals; these include posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder, Epstein-Barr virus-associated smooth muscle tumors, anal precancerous lesions, and squamous cell carcinoma. As a result of active antiretroviral therapy, patients infected with HIV are living longer and are consequently at increased risk for development of cancer. Therefore, it is possible that the number of AIDS-associated malignancies will rise and the pattern of tumors may change in the future. In this paper, the clinicopathologic features of GI malignancies associated with AIDS patients are reviewed and the differential diagnosis with other mimic lesions is discussed.

Occasional finding of mesenteric lipodystrophy during laparoscopy: A difficult diagnosis

Mesenteric lipodystrophy is a rare pathological condition affecting the mesentery. Its initial presentation is typically asymptomatic. Pathological characteristics are unspecific, and generally attributed to inflammation, unless the diagnosis is suspected. Laparoscopy done for other reasons has been, as in this case, unsuccessful in providing evidence for the correct diagnosis, thus requiring laparotomy due to lack of diagnostic tissue. After 6 mo no further medical therapy is required, as the patient remains asymptomatic. Discussion of this case and a brief review of the literature are presented in the following paragraphs.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection: a case report and review of the literature

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen (IPS) is a rarely described benign tumoral lesion of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. Diagnosis is complex as clinical manifestations and imaging features are indistinguishable from lymphoproliferative disorders and other malignancies of the spleen. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is often combined with several malignancies including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. However, no HIV infection-associated IPS has been reported so far. We report and discuss a case of IPS in an HIV-infected woman who presented with abdominal pain and multiple lesions in the spleen.

Thalidomide: a review of approved and investigational uses

BACKGROUND

Thalidomide is best known as a major teratogen that caused birth defects in up to 12,000 children in the 1960s. More recently, this agent has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) through a restricted-use program. Its immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic properties are currently under study in a number of clinical conditions.

OBJECTIVE

This article reviews the pharmacology of thalidomide; its approved and off-label uses in dermatologic, oncologic, and gastrointestinal conditions; and adverse events associated with its use.

METHODS

Relevant articles were identified through searches of MEDLINE (1966-June 2002), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-June 2002), and EMBASE (1990-June 2002). Search terms included but were not limited to thalidomide, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, therapeutic use, and teratogenicity, as well as terms for specific disease states and adverse events. Further publications were identified from the reference lists of the reviewed articles. Abstracts of recent symposia were obtained from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Web site.

RESULTS

Thalidomide is thought to exert its therapeutic effect through the modulation of cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In addition to its approved indication for ENL, thalidomide has been studied in various other conditions, including graft-versus-host disease, discoid lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, acute myeloid leukemia, myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia, renal cell carcinoma, malignant gliomas, prostate cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma, colorectal carcinoma, oral aphthous ulcers, Behçet's disease, Crohn's disease, and HIV/AIDS-associated wasting. Adverse events most frequently associated with its use include somnolence, constipation, rash, peripheral neuropathy, and thromboembolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of thalidomide is limited by toxicity, limited efficacy data, and restricted access. Evidence of its efficacy in conditions other than ENL awaits the results of controlled clinical trials.

Inflammatory pseudotumor and sarcoma of urinary bladder: differential diagnosis and outcome in thirty-eight spindle cell neoplasms

We assessed diagnostic criteria among 38 spindle cell tumors of the urinary bladder and obtained follow-up in 36 patients. Patients comprised 28 males and 10 females aged 2.5 months to 87 years. Hematuria was the commonest presenting symptom (27 patients). After review and immunohistochemical workup, 17 patients had inflammatory pseudotumor (myofibroblastic tumor), 4 postoperative spindle cell nodule, 1 leiomyoma, 13 sarcoma (7 low-grade; 6 high-grade), and 3 carcinoma. Mean age was 38 years for pseudotumor (range 15 to 74), 65 for postoperative spindle cell nodule, 51 for sarcoma, and 76 for carcinoma. Size of pseudotumor averaged 4.4 +/- 0.7 cm (range 1.5 to 13.0), similar to sarcoma, 4.0 +/- 0.6 cm (range 0.5 to 7.0). Similar proportions of benign tumors and sarcomas had muscularis propria invasion. The criteria that best differentiated sarcoma from inflammatory pseudotumor were presence of necrosis at the tumor-detrusor muscle interface in muscle-invasive cases, and nuclear atypia. Sarcoma also had less prominent microvasculature, less variable cellularity, consistently > or =1 mitotic figure per 10 high-power fields, and predominant acute inflammation without plasma cells. p53 protein nuclear immunostaining was moderate, unlike the rare to absent staining in pseudotumors. Because all 12 sarcomas were desmin-negative, we did not call them leiomyosarcoma; they overlapped with benign tumor in epithelial, mesenchymal, and actin immunostaining. Among 12 sarcoma patients, 2 died of tumor (at 3 months). Two of four experienced tumor recurrence after partial cystectomy (2 and 26 months). No pseudotumors recurred after transurethral resection or partial cystectomy, although one patient, 5 months after transurethral resection, had histologically identical pseudotumor that the surgeon considered residual. Another patient with pseudotumor, not a candidate for tumor ablation after transurethral resection, had continued tumor growth and he died of urosepsis. In conclusion, inflammatory pseudotumor, although overlapping with sarcoma in presentation, age range, and size, does not metastasize and remains histologically distinct from low-grade sarcoma.

Etanercept for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-associated psoriatic arthritis

Etanercept may play an important role in modulating the inflammatory activity and progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. We report the case of a 45-year-old homosexual man with a CD4 cell count of less than 0.05 x 10(9)/L and an HIV viral load of 4200 copies/mL (while receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy) who developed extensive psoriatic plaques, 4.5-kg weight loss, onychodystrophy, and psoriatic arthropathy with severe periarticular bone demineralization. The arthritis progressed despite the use of several disease-modifying medications, including corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine, and minocycline. Because of uncontrolled, progressive, and disabling arthritis and resulting profound disability, he was treated with etanercept. Within 3 weeks, his psoriasis had improved dramatically and his joint inflammation had stabilized. For the next 4 months, immunologic and viral parameters remained stable, but his clinical course was complicated by frequent polymicrobial infections. Etanercept was thus discontinued despite continued improvements in his psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and functional status. While both cutaneous and joint manifestations of psoriasis improved dramatically, the experience with this patient dictates that caution and careful follow-up must be exercised when prescribing etanercept in the setting of HIV infection.