Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava: a case report.

Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava is an extremely rare tumor that is characterized by a poor prognosis and nonspecific symptoms, a fact that may delay the diagnosis for several years. The only therapeutic modality proven to prolong the survival of patients is total surgical resection of the tumor. In this study, the authors report the case of a 50-year-old patient with a diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava, affecting the middle and distal thirds, who was submitted to surgical treatment.

Evaluation of cytokines (MIG, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10) during the different evolutive phases of chagasic esophagopathy.

The production of cytokines (MIG, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10) was studied in 39 individuals, including 28 with chagasic esophagopathy and 11 nonchagasic patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. A sandwich enzyme immunoassay employing monoclonal antibody pairs specific for each cytokine was used. IFN-gamma and MIG production was significantly higher in patients with megaesophagus compared to control.