Since its outbreak in the last December, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly spread worldwide at a pandemic proportion, thus regarded as a global public health emergency. The existing therapeutic options for COVID-19 beyond the intensive supportive care are limited, with an undefined or modest efficacy reported so far. Drug repurposing represents an enthusiastic mechanism to use approved drugs outside the scope of their original indication and accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic options. With the emergence of COVID-19, drug repurposing has been largely applied for early clinical testing. In this Review , we discuss some repurposed anticancer drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 and under investigation in clinical trials or proposed for the clinical testing. .

BackgroundMale breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease representing less than 1% of all malignancies in men and only 1% of all incident breast cancers. Our study details clinico-pathological features, treatments and prognostic factors in a large Moroccan cohort.FindingsOne hundred and twenty-seven patients were collected from 1985 to 2007 at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat, Morocco.Median age was 62 years and median time for consultation 28 months. The main clinical complaint was a mass beneath the areola in 93, 5% of the cases. Most patients have an advanced disease. Ninety-one percent of tumors were ductal carcinomas.Management consisted especially of radical mastectomy; followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and hormonal therapy with or without chemotherapy. The median of follow-up was 30 months. The evolution has been characterized by local recurrence; in twenty two cases (17% of all patients). Metastasis occurred in 41 cases (32% of all patients). The site of metastasis was the bone in twenty cases; lung in twelve cases; liver in seven case; liver and skin in one case and pleura and skin in one case.ConclusionMale breast cancer has many similarities to breast cancer in women, but there are distinct features that should be appreciated. Future research for better understanding of this disease at national or international level are needed to improve the management and prognosis of male patients.

BackgroundAmeloblastoma is a rare benign odontogenic tumor with locally aggressive behavior and a high recurrence rate. When metastases occur, which are uncommon, lungs constitute the most frequent site involved. Malignant ameloblastomas are different from ameloblastic carcinomas. Malignant ameloblastomas are tumors considered metastatic despite the appearance of well-differentiated or benign histology, while ameloblastic carcinomas are histologically malignant in both primary and metastatic sites.Case presentationA 24-year-old Moroccan man presented a malignant ameloblastoma of the mandible. The tumor was entirely resected. Five years later, a local recurrence occurred. Our patient was treated by exclusive radiotherapy with persistence of a residual disease. After two years he developed multiple lung metastases. Our patient received a combination chemotherapy using doxorubicin and cisplatin.ConclusionLess than 50 cases of ameloblastoma with metastases have been reported. There is still no standard treatment for metastatic ameloblastoma. Only through continuous reporting of such cases will clinicians be able to draw an optimal strategy for management of this pathology.

BackgroundAdenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast is a rare malignant neoplasm associated with an excellent prognosis and a very rare occurrence of metastases.Case presentationWe report the case of an aggressive presentation in a 65-year-old woman, of Belgian origin, who was diagnosed as having adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast and developed metastases to her lung, kidney, and brain.ConclusionsWe describe similar cases reported in the literature and discuss the molecular characteristics and treatment paradigm of this controversially aggressive disease entity.

No abstract

No abstract

BackgroundEwing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor is a family of highly malignant proliferation of neuroectodermal origin, most often skeletal, adrenal localization is extremely rare. Only few cases have been reported in the literature. Classical management includes radical surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy or both. This case report is the only one where recurrence was surgically removed, and it confirms the importance of adjuvant treatment, and the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Case presentationWe report the case of a 23-year-old Moroccan woman presenting with flank pain. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed a large and enhancing left suprarenal mass. After radical nephrectomy, histologic examination revealed a small round cell proliferation. The diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma was confirmed by molecular analysis; time to final diagnosis was 5 months due to financial and coordination issues. Computed tomography (on an asymptomatic patient) revealed a locoregional recurrence, our patient received 12 cycles of the vincristine, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide/ifosfamide and etoposide protocol used in an alternating schedule, with partial radiologic response (62%) and pathologic complete response, then underwent adjuvant radiotherapy of 45 Gy. The young women is still in remission after 36 months of follow-up.ConclusionsOur patient had an early recurrence due to absence of adjuvant treatment, but did respond well to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a pathologic complete response. Management of adrenal Ewing sarcoma could be extrapolated from skeletal one with good outcomes even in locoregional recurrence.

Malignant mixed mesodermal tumors of the ovary are very rare neoplasms associated with an aggressive clinical course and overall poor prognosis. We report a case of carcinosarcoma of the ovary successfully treated with platinum and ifosfamide and review the literature.