[Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast: a rare entity].

Nowadays neuroendocrine breast cancer is a rare entity, though the presence of neuroendocrine cells is often detected within breast cancers. Most of these tumours are associated with conventional ductal or globular breast cancers. We describe the case of neuroendocrine cancer of the breast and discuss its clinical, radiological and cytological aspects.

[Gastrointestinal stromal tumour in emergency surgery].

Although rare, gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. We present our experience with the treatment of 8 patients affected by gastrointestinal stromal tumours of the ileum and colon. These cases were characterised by acute bleeding, intestinal obstruction or diffuse abdominal pain, and all of them underwent an emergency surgical treatment.

[Gastric mesenchymal tumours (GIST)].

The incidence of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) has increased in recent years. A number of authors have attempted to define the actual nature of these tumours. Immunohistochemistry highlighting the positivity of tyrosine-kinase (CD117/c-Kit) has revealed the difference between gastrointestinal stromal tumours and other mesenchymal tumours and, therefore, the possibility of medical rather than surgical therapy.

[Retroperitoneal and mesenteric fibrosis. An uncommon "carcinoid syndrome"].

Retroperitoneal fibrosis is an uncommon disease in which dense fibrous tissue proliferates in the retroperitoneum. It frequently consists in an abdominal mass involving alimentary structures, ureters with obstruction, and vascular elements with stenosis. This pathological event may be associated with a history of ergotamine usage or a wide range of conditions including malignancy, injuries and infections.

Contribution of CT to treatment planning in patients with GIST.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to illustrate the morphological and structural computed tomography (CT) patterns of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) and to discuss the technique's role in identifying lesions at a higher risk for malignant potential, in treatment planning and in the follow-up of patients with GIST.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the CT scans of 26 patients who underwent surgery for histologically confirmed GIST of the stomach (20 cases), the duodenum (1), the caecum (1), the small bowel (2), the descending colon (1) and the rectum (1). CT exams were performed with a single-slice scanner and a 5-mm collimation before and after the intravenous administration of contrast material.

Parachordoma of the gastric serosa: report of a myxoid mimicry in an unusual location.

The authors report a case of an incidentally discovered myxoid stromal tumor occurring in the outer wall of the stomach of a 65-year-old woman. The tumor was phenotypically consistent with parachordoma (or myoepithelioma), showing a chordoid microscopic appearance of tumor cells loosely arranged within a myxoid or hyaline background. Immunoreactivity for high-molecular-weight keratins, S100 protein, and vimentin was detected.

[Thyroid metastasis due to right colonic carcinoma].

Clinical evident metastases to the thyroid gland are rarely found antemortem. A case of a 62 year-old man with a history of right colonic carcinoma, who presented a mass in the right lobe of his thyroid gland one year after the removal of a metachronous metastasis in his right lung, is presented. The tumour of the thyroid was found to be metastatic adenocarcinoma from his previous colonic cancer.

[Inflammatory pseudotumour of the spleen: a case report and review of the literature].

The case of a 64-year-old man presenting dysuria and haematuria is described. The cause of these symptoms was related to a splenomegaly compressing the left kidney and renal pelvis. A splenectomy was performed.

[Inflammatory pseudotumour of the liver: case report and review of the literature].

We report a case of inflammatory pseudotumour of the liver in a 53-year-old woman who over the previous month had presented malaise, fever and right-sided hypochondralgia. On physical examination the liver was tender at palpation 2 cm below the right costal margin. Laboratory data were normal.

Gastric wall necrosis from organo-axial volvulus as a late complication of laparoscopic gastric banding.

We present a case of massive gastric wall necrosis associated with volvulus of the stomach occurring 17 months after laparoscopic gastric banding. The 19- year-old female was admitted to our hospital with acute abdominal pain with rapid deterioration from massive necrosis of a distended stomach which perforated distal to the gastric band, accompanied by splenic infarction. Total gastrectomy and spenectomy were required.

[Non-functioning neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas: report of a clinical case and review of the literature].

The authors report the case of a 26-year-old woman, with a palpable abdominal mass, dyspepsia, pain and weight loss. These symptoms were caused by a non-functioning or biologically inactive neuroendocrine tumour (BINT), weighing 510 g and located in the tail of the pancreas. The treatment opted for was a surgical resection consisting in a distal pancreatectomy.

[Nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

The authors report the case of a 62-year-old woman who underwent a course of radiotherapy for an undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. One year later the patient developed liver metastasis and underwent liver resection. The authors review the various aspect of this tumour, which is particularly frequent in the countries of South-East Asia but is exceptional in Europe and North America, focusing on the possibility of the operative management of the liver metastasis.

[Emergency surgery: suppurating urachal cyst producing intestinal occlusion].

Urachal cysts are anomalies related to the persistence of urachal remnants after the birth. They are seldom asymptomatic, but in some cases they mimic acute abdominal disease. We report a case of a 67-year-old man with relapsing episodes of intestinal sub-occlusion caused by the presence of an infected urachal cyst.

[Stromal tumors of the small intestine (GIST). Prognostic differences based on clinical, morphological and immunophenotypic features].

Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) are rare malignant non-epithelial tumors arising from gastro-intestinal tract. They represent the 0.2% of all malignancy of this site.

The schwannoma: an uncommon type of cystic lesion of the pancreas.

Schwannomas of the pancreas are rare and their number is lower than is usually reported in the literature since some were probably neurofibromas. We report a further case characterized by cystic feature, clinically mimicking a pancreatic pseudocyst. Cystic lesions of the pancreas also comprise the schwannomas, both benign or malignant, as has been previously reported and is stressed by the present case.

[Comparative analysis of the technics of preoperative localization of the parathyroid glands].

Parathyroid surgery needs an appropriate diagnosis and a preoperative localization. We conducted a prospective study to compare the efficacy of 4 different imaging modalities in 17 patients: thallium-technetium subtraction scintigraphy, ultrasonography, computed tomography and arteriography. The sensitivity was: scintigraphy 58%, echotomography 86%, Tc 92% and arteriography only 33%.

[Boerhaave's syndrome. Emergency surgery].

The Authors report a case of spontaneous rupture of the esophagus in a 66-year-old alcoholic. The symptomatology was characterized essentially by epigastralgie and vomiting culminating in violent retrosternal pain radiating to the back and by shock. X-rays taken an hour after hospitalization showed an increase of pulmonary hypodiaphania with presence of pleural effusion at the left base, cervicothoracic subcutaneous emphysema.

[Primary lung neoplasm of rare incidence: giant cell carcinoma].

Primary giant-cell carcinoma of the lung is an infrequent observation. It is distinguished clinically solely its fairly rapid development but otherwise it does not seem to have any predilection for localization, age or sex. Histologically, differential diagnosis with othe tumours such as angiosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, chorioepithelioma and others is of interest.