Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The frequency of precipitating antibodies to Aspergillus, thermophilic actinomycetes, and pigeon serum was studied in hospitalized patients and in employees of the state of Wisconsin. Precipitins to Aspergillus were detected in 9 per cent of the hospitalized patients and 3 per cent of the state employees. The majority of the serologically reactive hospitalized patients were diagnosed as having carcinoma with metastases, lymphoma, or leukemia. No evidence of hypersensitivity pneumonitis or invasive aspergillosis was seen in these patients. The frequency of antibodies to thermophilic actinomycetes (3 per cent) and pigeon serum (1 per cent) was similar in both groups. Women from 17 to 25 years of age and men from 52 to 66 years of age demonstrated an increased incidence of positive precipitins.
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PMID:Precipitating antibodies in office workers and hospitalized patients directed toward antigens causing hypersensitivity pneumonitis. 80 56

In the immunocompromised patient, even mild forms of any combination of headache, meningismus, altered mental status, or focal neurologic signs should initiate an evaluation for possible CNS infection. The limited signs and symptoms of acute CNS infection are not due to specific organisms but to pathologic changes at the neuroanatomic site of infection. The initial clinical history, examination, laboratory, and neuroradiographic data will narrow the problem to one of several groups of agents, although it may not be possible to specify a single causative agent. It should be remembered that several concurrent infections (i.e., CMV and toxoplasmosis, aspergillosis, and bacterial sepsis) may be present. Thus, the clinician should rely on broad antibiotic coverage appropriate to the suspected causative agent or agents at the site of infection. It may be necessary to offer broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage for a CSF presentation that is subsequently found to result from a viral illness or from a noninfectious cause. However, one should avoid undertreating those infections for which specific therapy can be offered, and broad-spectrum treatment usually will not be regretted. Uncertainty in diagnosis following noninvasive procedures should lead to a brain biopsy. Although many of the infections discussed in this article have a poor prognosis, some of the most common pathogens, such as Cryptococcus, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, have effective specific therapies to which the patient should have access as rapidly as possible. The clinician who has successfully treated a patient with CNS infection should remain vigilant for late sequelae or recurrence of infection. Chronic treatment of some infections, such as toxoplasmosis or aspergillosis, may be necessary. The reintroduction of steroids for the treatment of an underlying cancer may reactivate previously treated disease, such as cryptococcosis, and periodic CSF surveillance is appropriate under these circumstances. Recurrence of the symptoms should raise the suspicion of recurrent or new infection, and the patient also should be evaluated with CT or MRI for the development of hydrocephalus or for new metastatic disease. In patients who have had varicella-zoster infection, postherpetic neuralgia and delayed arteritis may develop. Seizures, hearing loss, and neuropsychologic sequelae may follow any meningoencephalitis. The patient should always be reevaluated for the possibility of infection with a different opportunistic organism. CNS infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients with malignancies. In one series, 60% of such patients died as a result of their CNS infection, many at a time when the underlying disease had an otherwise good prognosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Central nervous system infections in cancer patients. 175 29

Appropriate treatment for intracranial mass lesions depends upon accurate morphological diagnosis. In 47 of 360 patients the findings in stereotactically obtained tissue cylinders were compared with tumor resection (n = 38) or autopsy (n = 9) tissue material to define the accuracy of our stereotactic biopsy method. These biopsies were performed using the LEKSELL CT stereotactic frame and a spiral needle which procured about 10-mm-long tissue cylinders. Usually, three to four successive biopsy specimens were taken along the target trajectory placed through the whole lesion and its margins according to the CT imagings. Final morphological diagnosis was exclusively based on the histological findings of permanent paraffin sections. In 42 cases (89%), the histological results in biopsy and resection/autopsy tissue were identical, including mainly cases of low and high grade gliomas as well as some brain lymphomas, metastases, and cases of inflammatory brain lesions (aspergillosis, toxoplasmosis). In 3 patients with a diagnosis of brain lymphoma and low grade glioma on the basis of the surgical specimens, stereotactic biopsy revealed only unspecific reactive tissue changes. In two cases of the early part of the study, sampling errors occurred. This study provides evidence for the high diagnostic accuracy of the established stereotactic biopsy method which is characterized by representative tissue sampling and histological processing of the specimens.
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PMID:Accuracy of stereotactic brain tumor biopsy: comparison of the histologic findings in biopsy cylinders and resected tumor tissue. 203 Aug 27

Pituitary metastases constitute 1% to 8.3% of all metastatic brain tumors. The most frequent localization is in the posterior lobe and diabetes insipidus may be the only symptom of dysfunction. Cerebral aspergillosis is an unusual disease and it has been described complicating an underlying malignancy or following intracraneal surgery. We describe a case of hypopituitarism and hyperprolactinemia in a patient with pituitary metastases of a colon carcinoma and aspergillosis. Two years before a colon adenocarcinoma (Class C1 of Duke) had been resected. There were no clinical signs of hypopituitarism or galactorrea. The laboratory findings showed deficiency of cortocotropin (ACTH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and slight hyperprolactinemia (PRL). Cerebral magnetic resonance image (MRI) revealed an intra and suprasellar mass which extended to the hypothalamus. Chest X-ray film and computed tomographic scanning (TC) confirmed a macronodular mass at the apical segment of the inferior left lung lobule with mediastinal hypertrophic lymph nodes. A non functional pituitary tumor was diagnosed and transphenoidal surgery was carried out. At microscopic examination a malignant proliferation was found suggesting colonic differentiation. Fragments of tumoral pituitary tissue showed hyphae of aspergillus in the form of abscess. Aspergillosis complicating neoplastic disease is more often present in leukemia and lymphoma than in solid tumors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Hypopituitarism caused by colonic carcinoma metastasis associated with hypophysial aspergillosis]. 785 93

Because the left upper lobe bronchus overlies the left pulmonary artery (PA), T2-3 lesions, N0-1 disease, or rarely inflammation may involve this vessel, necessitating lobectomy with partial PA resection or pneumonectomy with sacrifice of the lower lobe. In 486 operations performed for left upper lobe lesions between 1966 and 1992 (wedge, 111; segmentectomy, 131; lobectomy, 155; pneumonectomy, 89), isolated PA encroachment was caused by bronchogenic carcinoma (32), invasive aspergillosis (2), or organized pneumonitis (1) and occurred in 9% (32/360) of malignant left upper lobe tumors and 2% (3/126) of benign lesions. Initially (1966 through 1979), PA involvement was the indication for 30% (18/60) of left pneumonectomies. Later (1980 through 1990), tangential resection of the PA was attempted in 11, 5 ending up with pneumonectomy. Overall, 35 of 244 patients undergoing major left upper lobe resection (lobectomy or pneumonectomy) had PA encroachment. Recently, we have performed, selectively in patients with restricted lung function, six left upper lobectomies with sleeve resection of the PA. Paneled saphenous vein interposition was used (3) or 18-mm polytetrafluorethylene tube prostheses (3). All patients survived, 1 later requiring completion pneumonectomy for bronchostenosis after wedge bronchoplasty. Two have since died of metastases or pulmonary insufficiency; the remainder (average follow-up, 17 months) are asymptomatic with lower lobe function in 3 confirmed by differential ventilation-perfusion scans and pulmonary angiography.
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PMID:Pulmonary artery sleeve resection for abutting left upper lobe lesions. 846 37

Radioiodine may accumulate at sites of inflammation or infection. We have seen such accumulation in six thyroid cancer patients with a history of previously treated pulmonary tuberculosis. We also review the causes of false-positive radioiodine uptake in lung infection/inflammation. Eight foci of radioiodine uptake were seen on six iodine-123 diagnostic scans. In three foci, the uptake was focal and indistinguishable from thyroid cancer pulmonary metastases from thyroid cancer. In the remaining foci, the uptake appeared nonsegmental, linear or lobar, suggesting a false-positive finding. The uptake was unchanged, variable in appearance or non-persistent on follow-up scans and less extensive than the fibrocystic changes seen on chest radiographs. In the two patients studied, thyroid hormone level did not affect the radioiodine lung uptake and there was congruent gallium-67 uptake. None of the patients had any evidence of thyroid cancer recurrence or of reactivation of tuberculosis and only two patients had chronic intermittent chest symptoms. Severe bronchiectasis, active tuberculosis, acute bronchitis, respiratory bronchiolitis, rheumatoid arthritis-associated lung disease and fungal infection such as Allescheria boydii and aspergillosis can lead to different patterns of radioiodine chest uptake mimicking pulmonary metastases. Pulmonary scarring secondary to tuberculosis may predispose to localized radioiodine accumulation even in the absence of clinically evident active infection. False-positive radioiodine uptake due to pulmonary infection/inflammation should be considered in thyroid cancer patients prior to the diagnosis of pulmonary metastases.
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PMID:Radioiodine uptake in inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. 1036 53

The halo sign is a circular area of ground-glass attenuation that is seen around pulmonary nodules at computed tomography (CT). Although the sign is most often an indication of pulmonary hemorrhage, it may also accompany other lesions associated with different disease processes. Examples are hemorrhagic nodules of infectious origin (mucormycosis, candidiasis, tuberculosis, viral pneumonia, and invasive aspergillosis--the last being the most common cause of the CT halo sign); hemorrhagic nodules of noninfectious origin (Wegener granulomatosis, Kaposi sarcoma, and hemorrhagic metastases); tumor cell infiltration (bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, lymphoma, and metastasis with intra-alveolar tumor growth); and nonhemorrhagic lesions (sarcoidosis and organizing pneumonia). Diagnosis must therefore be based on careful consideration of all the CT chest findings within the context of the patient's clinical state. The aim of this review was to describe and illustrate different disease processes that appear as a halo sign on CT scans, to analyze the value of this diagnostic tool, and to assess its correlation with pathology findings.
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PMID:[The halo sign in computed tomography images: differential diagnosis and correlation with pathology findings]. 1872 92

Mucoid impaction is a relatively common finding at chest radiography and computed tomography (CT). Both congenital and acquired abnormalities may cause mucoid impaction of the large airways that often manifests as tubular opacities known as the finger-in-glove sign. The congenital conditions in which this sign most often appears are segmental bronchial atresia and cystic fibrosis. The sign also may be observed in many acquired conditions, include inflammatory and infectious diseases (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, broncholithiasis, and foreign body aspiration), benign neoplastic processes (bronchial hamartoma, lipoma, and papillomatosis), and malignancies (bronchogenic carcinoma, carcinoid tumor, and metastases). To point to the correct diagnosis, the radiologist must be familiar with the key radiographic and CT features that enable differentiation among the various likely causes. CT is more useful than chest radiography for differentiating between mucoid impaction and other disease processes, such as arteriovenous malformation, and for directing further diagnostic evaluation. In addition, knowledge of the patient's medical history, clinical symptoms and signs, and predisposing factors is important.
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PMID:Mucoid impactions: finger-in-glove sign and other CT and radiographic features. 1879 13

Pulmonary carcinoma was diagnosed in an 18+-year-old captive female great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). The owl presented with a history of progressive weakness and sudden onset of frank blood in the droppings. On physical examination, the owl had multiple white to yellow plaques in the oral cavity, decreased air sac sounds on the right side, dyspnea (during manual restraint), and reduced pectoral musculature. Whole-body radiographs revealed obliteration of the right-sided air sacs, a soft tissue plaque/density in the left caudal thoracic air sac, soft tissue opacity over the coelomic organs, and increased medullary opacity in the distal right humerus. The owl died during anesthetic recovery, and the body was submitted for necropsy. Although the clinical signs, physical examination results, radiographic signs, and gross pathology supported a diagnosis of mycotic infection, such as aspergillosis, histopathology confirmed pulmonary carcinoma with metastases to the air sacs and humerus.
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PMID:Pulmonary carcinoma in a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). 2072 57

Invasive fungal infections are common causes of death in children treated for malignancies, and therefore present an important and growing clinical problem. Fungal invasion usually affects immunocompromised patients, but increased incidences are also associated with intensification of antineoplastic therapy and increased numbers of organ and bone marrow transplantations. Fungal infections in parameningeal and cerebral locations carry high risks of treatment failure. We describe the case of an 11-year-old female patient with rhabdomyosarcoma embryonale of the frontal sinuses with metastases to the neck lymph nodes, treated according to the CWS 2002 protocol for high-risk patients. Left maxillary sinus aspergillosis was diagnosed during chemotherapy following radiotherapy, and 56 days after surgical excision of the tumour. No effect was achieved by use of amphotericin B. Further treatment included intravenous voriconazole at 6 mg per kg body weight every 12 h for 2 weeks, followed by oral voriconazole at 4 mg per kg body weight twice daily for 6 months. Simultaneous excision of necrotic tissues from the nasal cavity, ethmoid bone, maxillary sinus and frontal recess was performed. The sinus was kept open for 3 weeks to allow voriconazole lavage every 12 h for 3 weeks. This unconventional treatment resulted in eradication of sinus aspergillosis and allowed intensive chemotherapy to be continued with no recurrence of aspergillosis.
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PMID:Highly effective unconventional management of aspergillosis of the left maxillary sinus in an 11-year-old girl with rhabdomyosarcoma embryonale of the frontal sinus. 2324 43


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