The aim of this study was to analyze initial chest computed tomography (CT) findings in COVID-19 pneumonia and identify features associated with poor prognosis. Patients with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection were assigned to recovery group if they made a full recovery and to death group if they died within 2 months of hospitalization. Chest CT examinations for ground-glass opacity, crazy-paving pattern, consolidation, and fibrosis were scored by two reviewers. The total CT score comprised the sum of lung involvement (5 lobes, scores 1–5 for each lobe, range; 0, none; 25, maximum). 40 patients who recovered from COVID-19 and six patients who died were enrolled. The initial chest CTs showed 27 (58.7%) patients had ground-glass opacity, 19 (41.3%) had ground glass and consolidation, and 35 (76.1%) patients had crazy-paving pattern. None of the patients who died had fibrosis in contrast to six (15%) patients who recovered from COVID-19. Most patients had subpleural lesions (89.0%) as well as bilateral (87.0%) and lower (93.0%) lung lobe involvement. Diffuse lesions were present in four (67%) patients who succumbed to coronavirus but only one (2.5%) patient who recovered (p < 0.001). In the death group of patients, the total CT score was higher than that of the recovery group (p = 0.005). Patients in the death group had lower lymphocyte count and higher C-reactive protein than those in the recovery group (p = 0.011 and p = 0.041, respectively). A high CT score and diffuse distribution of lung lesions in COVID-19 are indicative of disease severity and short-term mortality.

This study was performed to identify the contribution of cimetidine to chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Cimetidine was administered two weeks before surgery in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, and the treatment was continued for two years. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression was also evaluated. The chemotherapy regimens did not affect patient prognosis. The effect of cimetidine was more marked in patients who showed overexpression of COX-2. Platinum-based chemotherapy combined with cimetidine, as a first-line therapy, may improve the prognosis of patients with advanced serous ovarian carcinoma.

Introduction:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Currently, more than 100 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with over 2.4 million mortalities. The pandemic affects people of all ages but older individuals and those with severe chronic illnesses, including cancer patients, are at higher risk.Patient concerns:The impact of cancer treatment on the progression of COVID-19 is unclear. Therefore, we assessed the effects of chemotherapy on COVID-19 outcomes for 2 cancer patients. On January 24, 2020, a level I response to a major public health emergency was initiated in Hubei Province, China, which includes Enshi Autonomous Prefecture that has a population of 4.026 million people. As of April 30, 2020, 252 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 asymptomatic carriers were identified in Enshi.Diagnosis:Among the confirmed cases and asymptomatic carriers, 2 patients were identified who were previously diagnosed with malignant tumors, including one with hepatocellular carcinoma and the other with cardia carcinoma.Interventions:These 2 patients were receiving or just completed chemotherapy at the time of their COVID-19 diagnosis.Outcomes:Both patients were followed and presented favorable outcomes. The positive outcomes for these 2 patients could be partially explained by their recent chemotherapy that impacted their immune status. Also, their relatively younger ages and lack of comorbidities were likely factors in their successful recovery from COVID-19.Conclusions:Anticancer treatment might enhance a patient's ability to respond favorably to COVID-19 infection. However, anticancer treatment is likely to impact immune function differently in different individuals, which can influence disease outcomes.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, aggressive sarcoma usually arising in the abdomen or pelvis of young males under 30 years of age. We present a case of a 32-year-old male with a palpable axillary mass and multiple bilateral lung nodules. Excisional biopsy of the axillary mass showed sheets and nests of small round cells with numerous mitoses, areas of necrosis, and desmoplastic stroma. Initial immunohistochemical stains performed at an outside institution demonstrated immunoreactivity for epithelial markers and focal reactivity for breast markers. The tumor was initially diagnosed as poorly differentiated carcinoma, with consideration of a possible primary breast cancer. Additional workup demonstrated strong, diffuse positivity for desmin in tumor cells, leading to the final diagnosis of DSRCT. Subsequent molecular testing confirmed DSRCT with EWSR1 gene rearrangement. This case illustrates the importance of recognizing the morphologic features of DSRCT in the setting of uncommon location or patient age.