Abstract Background Ciliated muconodular papillary tumor (CMPT) is an incredibly rare pulmonary tumor. Currently, little is known about CMPT, and it has not yet been classified by the World Health Organization. The clinical manifestation of CMPT is nonspecific and the diagnosis is only based on pathology. CMPT has been documented in limited reports as a benign tumor, thus the treatment is typically with surgical excision if a solid tumor is identifiable. The prognosis of CMPT is very positive, as no recurrence has been reported in the limited literature available. However, CMPT accompanied with adenocarcinoma in situ has not been reported previously in the literature. Case presentation In this report, we presented a case of a 53-year-old male smoker with CMPT associated with adenocarcinoma in situ. This diagnosis was confirmed by pathological examination, including immunohistostaining. No solid resectable lesion was identified on CT scan; therefore, no surgery was performed. The patient’s adenocarcinoma in situ was disseminated in both lungs, thus chemotherapeutic treatment with cisplatin and pemetrexed was given. The patient will be continually followed up closely on a wait-and-watch basis. Conclusions In summary, our report reveals a unique case of CMPT in conjunction with adenocarcinoma in situ, potentially revealing an association between CMPT and malignancy which has not been previously reported. More similar case studies will be beneficial to determine the authentic relationship between CMPT and adenocarcinoma in situ.
Interscalene nerve block (ISB) is an effective and low-risk local anesthetic (LA) procedure that is commonly employed for shoulder surgery. While phrenic nerve involvement occurs to some degree in every ISB procedure, the incidence of hypoxemia and other clinical signs of diaphragmatic disruption is much lower. This is a case of a 36-year-old female with no underlying respiratory disease who developed hypoxemia requiring a night of observation following an ISB for a rotator cuff repair procedure in an ambulatory surgical center. Her hypoxemia was easily treated with supplemental oxygen and she made a full recovery by the next day. The use of ultrasound guidance, reduced LA volume, less potent medication, sterile fluid for optimal visualization, and extrafascial administration should be considered for all patients receiving an ISB to prevent respiratory complications.
Background/Aim: Recently developed vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 virus utilize endogenous production of the virus' spike protein (SP), allowing the host to develop an immune response. As a result of the novelty of this virus and its vaccines, little is known overall about the potential effects of the SP on the pathogenesis of neoplasia, either from vaccination or from infection. This study was designed to investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 SP has any direct effect on SiHa cervical cancer cells. Materials and Methods: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 SP on cervical cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated by using clonogenic cell survival assay, quick cell proliferation assay, and caspase-3 activity kits in a widely-used cervical cancer cell line, SiHa. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were also performed to determine the potential molecular mechanisms. Results: The growth and proliferation of SiHa cancer cells were inhibited by SARS-CoV-2 SP. SARS-CoV-2 SP also induced apoptosis in SiHa cancer cells. The anti-proliferative effect of SARS-CoV-2 SP on SiHa cancer cells was associated with the up-regulation of the anti-proliferative molecule p53. The pro-apoptotic effect of SARS-CoV-2 SP on SiHa cells was associated with the up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic molecule TRAIL. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 SP inhibits the growth of cervical cancer via up-regulation of p53 and TRAIL. Further studies are needed to elaborate on the potential effects of the SARS-CoV-2 SP on other cancer cell lines and normal physiological cell lines for comparison.
AbstractBackground: Recently developed vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 virus utilize endogenous production of the virus’ spike protein (SP), allowing the host to develop an immune response. As a result of the novelty of this virus and its vaccines, little is known overall about the potential effects of the SP on the pathogenesis of neoplasia, either from vaccination or from infection. This study was designed to investigate if SARS-CoV-2 SP has any direct effect on SiHa cervical cancer cells. Methods: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 SP on cervical cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated by using clonogenic cell survival assay, quick cell proliferation assay, and caspase-3 activity kits in a widely used cervical cancer cell line, SiHa. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were also performed to determine the potential molecular mechanisms. Results: The growth and proliferation of SiHa cancer cells were inhibited by SARS-CoV-2 SP. SARS-CoV-2 SP also induced apoptosis in SiHa cancer cells. The anti-proliferative effect of SARS-CoV-2 SP on SiHa cancer cells was associated with the upregulation of the anti-proliferative molecule p53. The pro-apoptotic effect of SARS-CoV-2 SP on SiHa cells was associated with the upregulation of the pro-apoptotic molecule TRAIL. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 SP inhibits the growth of cervical cancer via upregulation of p53 and TRAIL. Further studies are needed to elaborate on the potential effects of the SARS-CoV-2 SP on other cancer cell lines and other normal physiological cell lines to compare.
Background/Aim: Glioblastoma, also known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive type of primary brain tumor and a cornerstone in its treatment is radiotherapy (RT). However, RT for GBM is largely ineffective at clinically safe doses, thus, the study of radiosensitizers is of great significance. Materials and Methods: With accumulating evidence for the anticancer effect of compounds from cranberry, this study was designed to investigate if cranberry extract (CE) sensitizes GBM to RT in the widely used human glioblastoma cell line U87. We utilized clonogenic survival assays, cell proliferation assays, and caspase-3 activity kits. Potential proliferative and apoptotic molecular mechanisms were evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results: We found that CE alone had little effect on the survival of U87 cells. However, RT supplemented by CE significantly inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of U87 cells when compared with RT alone. The proliferation-inhibitory effect of RT/CE might be attributable to the up-regulation of p21, along with the down-regulation of cyclin B and cyclin-dependent kinase 4. This pro-apoptotic effect might additionally be attributable to the down-regulation of survivin. Conclusion: These results warrant further study of the potential radiosensitizing capacity of CE in glioblastoma and other cancer types.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder is a profoundly rare tumor. It is one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of gallbladder cancer, often being diagnosed at a later stage. There are no definitive risk factors described for this specific type of gallbladder tumor when compared to other forms of gallbladder carcinoma. This case is regarding a 64-year-old female who was found to have primary squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder during an attempted cholecystectomy. Her tumor was found to have invaded her liver. The tumor displayed characteristic qualities of a pure squamous cell carcinoma and was positive for CK7 and p63 upon pathological analysis. Best results for treatment for this condition are achieved via R0 resection. Adjuvant therapy with chemoradiation has not been well-defined nor very effective in prior cases.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are very popular and useful medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. Potent gastric emptying delay is common with these medications, serving as a major contributor to the postprandial glycemic control and weight loss benefits of these medications. Recently, multiple case reports and studies indicating safety risks for these medications and their use in patients planning to undergo general anesthesia have been published, as retained gastric contents can lead to intraoperative aspiration. New guidelines for these medications have been released to guide clinical practice for anesthesiologists. Some degree of preoperative cessation of these medications is required. At this time, the ideal window for cessation of these medications to optimize clinical efficacy while reducing aspiration risks has not yet been well elaborated on. Aspiration of gastric contents can still occur despite appropriate preoperative fasting in patients taking GLP-1 agonists. Gastric ultrasound appears to be an effective and objective way of preoperatively assessing a patient's stomach contents to make decisions regarding anesthetic management for patients prescribed these medications. This practice is limited by a general lack of training and implementation in current anesthesiology practice.