57-year-old male who was found to have back pain and hyperglobulinemia approximately. Marrow biopsy was consistent with IgG myeloma. He was treated with steroids and local radiotherapy with improvement in symptoms and a modest reduction in the M-component. He received melphalan-based autologous stem cell transplantation, which was complicated by reversible respiratory failure. Unfortunately, he relapsed and was treated with bortezomib and steroids for 6 cycles followed by thalidomide. The disease has responded to therapy.
72-year-old female developed progressive dysarthria and dysphagia. Her doctor describes her speech difficulty as “Spastic dysarthria with slow and nasal speech" and noticed decreased mobility in the tongue and palate. She underwent multiple investigations and started Rilutek. Since there is no biologic marker for ALS, the expert suggests further testing that is focused on trying to rule out other disorders and show diffuse lower motor neuron involvement
52-year-old male was diagnosed in 2004 with a carcinoma of the lower rectum and underwent surgical anterior resection of the rectal tumor which was a well differentiated adenocarcinoma. In 2008 he underwent emergency operation for a perforated pyloric ulcer and then a radical resection of a gastric tumor which infiltrated the entire thickness of the gastric wall. It was a G3 diffuse type adenocarcinoma with signet ring cells, at pT3N2 stage.
53-year-old male with lower motor neuropathy affecting all 4 limbs. The neurologic examination showed left limb hyposthenia, left upper limb hypotrophy and diffuse fasciculations. The patient was diagnosed with “suspect motor neuron disease" and was treated with IVIG cycles with slight initial improvement, but later lack of response and worsening of the clinical condition.
65-year-old male experienced loss of consciousness, and a CT scan showed a left temporal mass which was confirmed by MRI. The patient underwent Stereotacti biopsy of mass, and Histological examination gave a diagnosis of anaplastic astrocytoma. He started chemoradiation with fotemustine (nitrosourea alkylating agent). Repeated MRI showed progression with mass effect, mild uncal herniation and enlarging ventricles. He has stable expressive aphasia and hemisyndrome, lethargy and decreased motivation. His treatment was switched from phenobarbital to levetiracetam.
50-year-old male complaining of gradual appearance of erectile dysfunction up to absolute impossibility of even just a single erectile event. His medical history is significant for Type II Diabetes Mellitus and prostatitis. He started taking Cialis, Levitra, and then Viagra without obtaining any benefit. He underwent EMG of the inferior limbs and hematochemical examinations, that revieled signs of diabetic polyneuropathy, and possible superimposed lumbosacral radiculopathy. The possibility to give intracavernous penile injections has been proposed.
10 months old, female. After normal birth (at the 40th week of pregnancy) and neonatal period, started to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux and recurrent respiratory infections, at times with broncospasm. In addition, psychomotor retardation was found and the young patient was assessed by a neurologist. The tests run (EMG and genetics for SMA) pointed to the diagnosis of Spinal Amyotrophy.
After hospitalization due to catarrhal bronchitis, the patient was discharged in good general conditions with recomendations for respiratory physiotherapy and neurological rehabilitation.
71-year-old female developed progressive dysarthria and dysphagia. Her doctor describes her speech difficulty as “Spastic dysarthria with slow and nasal speech" and noticed decreased mobility in the tongue and palate. She underwent multiple investigations and started Rilutek. The differential diagnosis of isolated swallowing and speaking difficulties include: Early motor neuron disease, Cranial neuropathies, Myopathies, Neuromuscular junction disorders and Neurodegenerative movement disorders.
31-year-old woman suffering from secondary recurrent abortions. During a 2 year period, she underwent 4 miscarriages with a thorough investigation, including genetic, anatomic, immune and thrombophilic testing. Nothing of significance has emerged to justify 4 miscarriages.
52-year-old female with a diagnosis of stage IIIC Grade 3 endometrial cancer. Following the adequate surgery she was started on a chemotherapy protocol, including Taxol, Epirubicin and Cisplatinum. However the first course caused severe toxicity and was switched to Taxol and carboplatinum. One treatment option is by intense combination chemotherapy, and therefore the expert supports the protocol used by this case. Another option is endocrine manipulation by hormone therapy.
71-year-old female developed progressive dysarthria and dysphagia. She underwent multiple investigations and started Rilutek. Her EMG study does not meet published criteria for the electrophysiologic diagnosis of motor neuron disease. In the expert's opinion, a definite diagnosis is not possible at the present time, and there would be utility in repeating clinical and electrophysiologic testing. The expert also recommends to perform pulmonary function testing.
1.5-year-old male suffered from eye swelling. His MRI revealed expansive lesion of left lateral orbital wall origin, with compression on the lateral rectus muscle. Later he was hospitalized due to fever and vomiting in left orbital lesion, suspecting a metastatic neuroblastoma. His eye examination revealed exophthalmus of the eye with exophoria and light dysfunction of the lateral rectus. His biopsies were indicative of stroma-poor neuroblastoma.
41-year-old female noticed some decrease in her vision and was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa. The progression of her disease is slow but visual fields showed contraction and loss of peripheral vision in both eyes.
53-year-old male complained of right flank discomfort. Scans revealed solid lesion with necrotic content in the left kidney, and radical nephrectomy with ipsilateral para-aortic lymph node dissection was performed. Pathology diagnosis was a clear cell renal carcinoma. The experts recommends a close routine follow up together with routine opthalmoscopy in order to detect retinal angiomas that can be an affect of VHL gene mutation.
38-year-old female started to suffer pain in her right foot on without a notable trauma. She was examined by several orthopeadic doctors and she got different opinions. The first diagnosed medium sprain of right foot and slight tumefaction on forefoot, and suggested her paracetamol administration that was with no benefit. The second specialist diagnosed sesamoiditis and right plantar fasciitis with 3rd degree cavus-valgus feet and recommended Depomedrol + Lidocaine, Pennsaid drops and NSAIDs. As part of the examinations she underwent an MR with and without Gadolinium.
The expert answers various questions referred to him regarding ABO-incompatible (ABOI) renal transplantation without splenectomy, using antigen-specific immunoadsorption (IA) and rituximab.
A 52 year old began having difficulties with balance. His problems evolved and he had been seen by neurologists providing clinical evidence for a cerebellar motor syndrome. The most recent examination showed ataxia, dysarthria, nystagmus, dysphagia and hyperreflexia. Although the disease has progressed the patient is not severely disabled at this time.
74-year-old male with gradual pan-cytopenia with predominant thrombocytopenia underwent a bone marrow biopsy that confirmed the diagnosis of Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). He is currently in good general health except for slowly progressive weakness and being constantly tired. In the expert's opinion, there is no indication for therapy at this time, since the counts are satisfactory for every-day living. Nevertheless, the treating options are erythopoietin injections, lenalidomide, Vidaza or Dacogen therapy, or stem cell transplantation.
A 74 year-old male, that was diagnosed as suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with kariotype del(11)q(11) by a bone marrow biopsy, following a gradual pancytopenia. The patient complains about slowly progressive weakness and being constantly tired.He was offered chemotherapy, but he declined this treatment because of fear that it would worsen his already severe weakness.
72-year-old male was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma of prostate gleason score 7 (4+3). Treatment options with intent to cure are surgery, radical prostatectomy, or external beam radiation combined with hormonal therapy.
66-year-old-male was diagnosed with prostate cancer following the appearance of irritative voiding symptoms. His past medical history is remarkable for Ischemic heart disease and rapidly progressive Parkinson's disease. Prostatic biopsy diagnosed Adenocarcinoma of prostate Gleason score 7 in both lobes.
10-year-old female with pain and swelling of the right foot was diagnosed bilateral pronatory syndrome. The specialist recommended foot surgery for the lengthening of the Achilles tendon and application of retrograde endorthesis screw. The expert disagrees with the necessity of this procedure, and suggests differential diagnosis and conservative treatment that includes pain killers, soft shoes with soft insoles inside and mild elevation of the medial longitudinal arch of the feet.
55-year-old female was diagnosed with glioblastoma after suffering increasing headaches, and was treated with radiation with concurrent Temodal. MRI exam that was performed after 2 additional cycles of CCNU showed tumor progression. The expert recommends different further treatment options.
42-year-old male patient complained of penile pain. Physical examination and imaging studies were compatible with the diagnosis of Peyronie's disease. Cialis 20 mg was given in order to perform "vascular exercise" that should prepare him for ESWL treatment to break the plaques when the condition stabilizes.
67-year-old male began to complain of chronic pain in the left lower rib cage. The pain is stitch, ever-present, dull and localized at the level of his left last rib, and became slightly worse in the last 2 years. Recent image findings: MRI - "Ovalish hypoechogenic solid formation, Ultra sound - "Suspected intercostal neurinoma at ribs 10, 11 and 12.
39-year-old male was diagnosed to have a neuroendocrine tumour with synchronic liver metastases. The disease was treated with an etoposide-carboplatin combination, Interferon A, somatostatin analogue and Zebra fish egg derived dietary supplements. In early 2008, a tumour progression was noted in that the disease started to produce the epithelial tumour markers CEA and CA 19-9.
5-year-old girl with a suspected diagnosis of stage 1 Wilms' tumor.
The child's current presentation was an incidental finding of left abdominal swelling. The reports of the abdominal US, total body CT together with normal values of catecholamine metabolites seem to support the diagnosis of Wilms' tumor.
7-year-old boy with prodrome of right-sided and right face weakness, gait ataxia, and intermittent headaches. Head computed tomography demonstrated a tumor at the brainstem/posterior fossa, and then MRI confirmed a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (a typical brainstem glioma). Following initiation of dexamethasone (Decadron, steroid for vasogenic edema), the child has started experimental treatment with the medicine nimotuzumab to be followed with conventional radiotherapy.
The expert shares broad information regarding Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas: categories, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risks and outcomes, and qualifications for performing surgery on the pancreas.
