Primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) is a rare entity, most likely to be clinically misdiagnosed as pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The cure rate of PPL is higher than that of adenocarcinoma. We present a case of PPL that presented as a pancreatic mass with chylous ascites and describe the incidence, clinical features, diagnostic approach, and most commonly used treatment regimens for PPL.
Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are hamartomatous tumors derived from the autonomic nervous system. GNs are frequently associated with neurofibromatosis-1 and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2b and commonly present with constipation, abdominal pain, weight loss, obstruction, and gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a 40-year-old man with symptoms of chronic abdominal pain, weight loss, and diarrhea for 1 year. Imaging was suggestive of thickening of ileal wall with a stricture, and subsequent biopsy revealed intestinal GN. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of an isolated intestinal GN masquerading as Crohn's disease.
Inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids, when indicated, form the backbone of COPD therapy. However, over the last decade there has been an emergence of adjunct therapies in oral or inhaled form that are now part of the therapeutic approach to COPD. While these therapies have shown to be beneficial when used in the appropriate instances, there are particular considerations that need to be minded when using these therapies. This review article discussed the mechanism of roflumilast, macrolide antibiotics, other chronic antibiotic regimens, vitamin D supplementation, oral corticosteroids, n-acetylcysteine, and nebulized hypertonic saline, the clinical data behind each of these therapies, adverse events associated with therapy, and the expert recommendations for their utilization. Our goal is to provide a brief but informative and clinically useful review of commonly encountered therapies used in advanced COPD.
INTRODUCTION: Primary pancreatic lymphomas (PPL) are very rare and mimic pancreatic head cancer. We present a case of a man who presented with a pancreatic mass and chylous ascites, and was found to have PPL. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 69-year-old man presented with 2 months of anorexia, abdominal pain and distension. He denied fever, chills or weight loss. Abdomen was distended, soft, non-tender with shifting dullness and fluid thrill. Laboratory tests were noncontributory except for mildly elevated LDH 254 U/L. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a 20 × 10 × 17 cm soft tissue mass impinging the distal duodenum, replacing the proximal pancreatic parenchyma, encasing the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries; ascites, lymphadenopathy and multiple omental nodules were seen. No cirrhosis or hepatomegaly noted. 2.5 L of grossly chylous fluid was drained with lymphocytic predominance, high triglycerides 980 mg/dL and negative cytology. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) showed an irregular hypoechoic mass. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) showed lymphoid cells with irregular nuclear membrane contours strongly positive for CD20, consistent with B cell lymphoma. PET-CT scan confirmed a metabolically active pancreatic mass with inguinal, aortocaval, juxtadiaphrgamatic and inframammary lymphadenopathy. Diagnostic laparoscopic biopsy confirmed diffuse B-cell lymphoma of germinal center origin positive for CD10, BCL6, BCL2 and CD45. Patient received 6 cycles of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone) which he tolerated well. Follow-up PET CT scan showed reduction in size of pancreatic mass and lymph nodes without areas of new/worsening lymphoma. DISCUSSION: PPLs comprise 0.5% of all pancreatic masses. Diagnostic criteria include dominant pancreatic mass, without superficial or mediastinal lymphadenopathy, absent hepatosplenic involvement and a normal blood leukocyte count. Clinical presentation is non-specific without classic symptoms of nodal lymphoma. Abdominal pain is the most common symptom (83%), followed by abdominal mass and weight loss. High tumor burden, β2-microglobulin levels >2 mg/l and high LDH levels are poor prognostic markers. Definitive diagnosis requires histologic confirmation, EUS-guided sampling is highly accurate. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, alone or in combination. Cure rates upto 30% have been reported. Long term remission can be obtained with CHOP chemotherapy alone in majority of patients. Addition of rituximab results in overall improvement in patient survival.
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