Sertoli cell tumor of the testis causing intracranial metastasis two years after orchiectomy. Report of a rare case and review of the literature

Sertoli cell tumor of the testis (SCTT) accounts for less than 1% of all testicular tumors with only 10% of cases exhibiting malignant behavior. In the present report, a case of malignant SCTT causing multiple metastases in a 32-year-old man is described. After being diagnosed and treated for bone and lymph nodes metastases, the patient presented with a brief history of worsening headaches and visual impairment. A head MRI demonstrated an extra-axial tumor located in the right fronto-parietal junction exhibiting avid contrast enhancement and leptomeningeal involvement. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this represents the second case of intracranial metastasis from SCTT described to date.

Extramedullary Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Testicular Myeloid Leukemia, Leukemia Cutis with Leptomeningeal Involvement

Extramedullary Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Testicular myeloid leukemia, leukemia cutis with leptomeningeal involvement Z Saeed, H Aslam, A Weil, M Muzaffar Myeloid sarcoma also called granulocytic sarcoma, myeloblastoma, or chloroma is an extramedullary tumor of immature granulocytic cells. Extramedullary soft tissue manifestations are relatively rare in hematological malignancies. One of the rarest manifestations is myeloid sarcoma (MS). MS develops as part of acute myeloid leukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasm, or myelodysplastic syndrome or at relapse, especially following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Demographically, it has a slight male predominance with a male to female ratio of 1.2: 1. It may occur at any age and any site in the body leading to varied clinical presentations. The most reported sites are lymph nodes, skin and soft tissues, bone, testes, gastrointestinal tract, and peritoneum. 44 year old male with past medical history of diabetes mellitus type 2 and morbid obesity presented with right testicular pain and swelling and underwent radical orchiectomy. Pathology reported seminoma and received adjuvant Carboplatin for pT3 disease. He developed left testicular pain and swelling 2 months later and underwent left radical orchiectomy. Pathology reported CD4+, CD56+ high grade hematopoietic neoplasm. It was sent for second opinion to NIH and was consistent with myeloid sarcoma with monoblastic features. Repeat evaluation of right testicular specimen was CD45+. Bone marrow biopsy showed normocellular marrow with multilineage hematopoiesis. PET scan showed hyper metabolic activity in the right hemi scrotum, widespread osseous areas of increased uptake and 3 soft tissue nodules within the subcutaneous tissues of the left abdominal wall. FNA of the subcutaneous nodule showed CD56 positive monocytoid cells. Induction chemotherapy with 7+3 (cytarabine 200 mg/m2, daunorubicin 60mg/m2) with gemtuzumab 3mg/m2 on day 1, 4, 7 was completed. Cerebrospinal fluid studies (CSF) showed monoblastic/monocytic proliferation and received intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy alternating between methotrexate and cytarabine every week. CSF studies were cleared after 2 IT chemotherapy. Patient remained in the hospital for 87 days due to poor count recovery and development of pulmonary embolism. Myeloid mutation screening identified a mutation in NRASG13D. Repeat PET scan showed 7 areas of hypermetabolic foci involving nodular densities of bilateral lower anterior abdominal wall. One of the lesion was biopsied that was negative. He completed 2 cycles of high dose cytarabine for consolidation but had repeated hospital admissions and therapy was switched to azacytidine and venetoclax. Patient was evaluated by bone marrow transplant team. He had disease progression at tenth month when he presented with severe back pain and lower extremity weakness. MRI brain and spine showed new patchy T2 hyperintense signal in the right frontal white matter, increased number and size of marrow replacing lesions throughout the visualized skeleton. Patient underwent bone biopsy that showed >90% marrow involvement (sheets of infiltrative cells with identical phenotype. Positive for CD56 (>90% of marrow cellularity), CD4 and lysozyme. Hospital course was complicated with renal failure, electrolytes imbalance and hemodynamically instability requiring vasopressor support. Discussions were held for re-induction with CLAG (cladribine 5mg/m2, and cytarabine 2gm/m2) vs best supportive care. Patient decided to pursue comfort care and passed away peacefully. The uniqueness of this case is the myeloid sarcoma of testes as initial presentation with normal bone marrow. Misdiagnosis is not uncommon and can delay the appropriate treatment. Extra medullary involvement from leukemia is very aggressive and needs high suspicious and prompt treatment. Systemic chemotherapy using AML-like regimens should be commenced early, even in non leukemic disease. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has demonstrated promising results, particularly in patients who achieved complete remission with AML-induction protocols, and recent advances in genetic profiling may enable the development of novel targeted therapies. Prospective multicenter controlled trials are required to further refine management decisions and investigate the role of novel targeted therapies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Advances in the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of leptomeningeal disease

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a devastating complication of cancer with variable clinical presentation and limited benefit from existing treatment options. In this review, we discuss advances in LM diagnostics and therapeutics with the potential to reverse this grim course. Emerging cerebrospinal fluid circulating tumor cell and cell-free tumor DNA analysis technologies will improve diagnosis of LM, while providing crucial genetic information, capturing tumor heterogeneity, and quantifying disease burden. Circulating tumor cells and cell-free tumor DNA have utility as biomarkers to track disease progression and treatment response. Treatment options for LM include ventriculoperitoneal shunting for symptomatic relief, radiation therapy including whole-brain radiation and focal radiation for bulky leptomeningeal involvement, and systemic and intrathecal medical therapies, including targeted and immunotherapies based on tumor mutational profiling. While existing treatments for LM have limited efficacy, recent advances in liquid biopsy together with increasing availability of targeted treatments will lead to rational multimodal individualized treatments and improved patient outcomes.

Systemic and Craniospinal Rosai Dorfman Disease with Intraparenchymal, Intramedullary and Leptomeningeal Disease

Rosai Dorfman disease is a rare histiocytic disorder of over-production of non-Langerhans histiocytes, which typically manifests with massive lymphadenopathy and sinonasal involvement. We report a rare case of systemic and disseminated craniospinal Rosai-Dorfman disease with intraparenchymal and leptomeningeal involvement, but no sinus or dural-based disease. The diagnosis was established by biopsy of a hypothalamic mass. Additionally, UCSF500 Next Generation Sequencing demonstrated a solitary pathogenic alteration affecting the BRAF oncogene, which supports the morphologic and immunohistochemical diagnosis of Rosai-Dorfman disease.

Case Report: End-Stage Recurrent Glioblastoma Treated With a New Noninvasive Non-Contact Oncomagnetic Device

Alternating electric field therapy has been approved for glioblastoma (GBM). We have preclinical evidence for anticancer effects in GBM cell cultures and mouse xenografts with an oscillating magnetic field (OMF) generating device. Here we report OMF treatment of end-stage recurrent glioblastoma in a 53-year-old man who had undergone radical surgical excision and chemoradiotherapy, and experimental gene therapy for a left frontal tumor. He experienced tumor recurrence and progressive enlargement with leptomeningeal involvement. OMF for 5 weeks was well tolerated, with 31% reduction of contrast-enhanced tumor volume and reduction in abnormal T2-weighted Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery volume. Tumor shrinkage appeared to correlate with treatment dose. These findings suggest a powerful new noninvasive therapy for glioblastoma.

Major Differences in Lymphocyte Subpopulations Between Cerebrospinal Fluid and Peripheral Blood in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Without Leptomeningeal Involvement: Flow Cytometry Evidence of a Cerebral Lymphatic System

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow cytometry has a crucial role in the diagnosis of leptomeningeal disease in onco-hematology. This report describes the flow cytometry characterization of 138 CSF samples from patients affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma, negative for disease infiltration. The aim was to focus on the CSF non-neoplastic population, to compare the cellular composition of the CSF with paired peripheral blood samples and to document the feasibility of flow cytometry in hypocellular samples. Despite the extremely low cell count (1 cell/µl, range 1.0–35) the study was successfully conducted in 95% of the samples. T lymphocytes were the most abundant subset in CSF (77%; range 20–100%) with a predominance of CD4-positive over CD8-positive T cells (CD4/CD8 ratio = 2) together with a minority of monocytes (15%; range 0–70%). No B cells were identified in 90% of samples. Of relevance, a normal, non-clonal B-cell population was documented in 5/7 (71%) patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma at diagnosis (p<0.0001), suggesting a possible involvement of blood-brain barrier cell permeability in the pathogenesis of cerebral B-cell lymphomas. The highly significant differences between CSF and paired peripheral blood lymphoid phenotype (p<0.0001) confirms the existence of an active mechanism of lymphoid migration through the meninges.

Clinical Problem-Solving: Lower Extremity Weakness & Paresthesia in an Immunocompromised Patient With a Complex Cancer History

We present a case of new onset bilateral lower extremity weakness, paresthesia, urinary retention and bowel incontinence in a 51-year-old man. He had a complicated history of acute myelogenous leukemia with known central nervous system (CNS) and leptomeningeal involvement status post allogenic stem cell transplant complicated by chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD). We review the differential diagnosis as the physical exam and diagnostic results evolved. We also provide a review of the relevant literature supporting our favored diagnosis, as well as other competing diagnoses in this complicated case. The ultimate differential diagnosis included viral myelitis, treatment-related myelopathies, and CNS GVHD. The case provides a sobering reminder that even with an appropriate diagnostic workup, some cases remain refractory to therapeutic efforts. It also underscores the importance of a sensitive neurologic exam, given the significant clinico-radiological delay, and reviews the complex differential diagnosis for myelopathy.

A cytology negative rare tumor with the presentation of pseudotumor cerebri clinical symptoms: diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor

Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor is characterized by hydrocephalus, leptomeningeal involvement in the absence of a primary parenchymal mass, and negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology. It is an extremely rare and difficult tumor to diagnose as no mass can be biopsied and it mimics infectious, rheumatologic, and inflammatory pathologies. An 11-year-old girl presented with complaints of headache, vomiting, and double vision. On examination, there was papilledema. Initial MRI scanning did not yield any significant findings. Clinical progression was observed in four months in the follow-ups. The symptoms included seizures, gait disturbances, and severely increased intracranial pressure. The screening of the patient for infectious, rheumatologic, endocrinologic, and inflammatory pathologies was normal. CSF pressure was elevated without any malignancy. Repeated cranial MRI revealed hydrocephalus and pituitary expansion. Leptomeningeal thickening and contrast enhancement were observed in spinal MRI. After a negative dural biopsy, the patient was diagnosed with a spinal leptomeningeal biopsy. The authors believed that the prevalence of this rare pediatric tumor, diagnosed with a leptomeningeal biopsy, is underestimated as it has an insidious course and signs of increased intracranial pressure in the absence of a definite solid mass.

Cytokines in Pediatric Pilocytic Astrocytomas: A Clinico-Pathological Study

Pilocytic astrocytomas (PCA) are WHO Grade I tumors with a favorable prognosis. Surgical resection is usually curative. Nonetheless, progressive and/or metastatic disease occurs in 20% of patients. For these patients, treatment options are limited. The role of the immune system in PCA has not previously been reported. We hypothesize that the circulating cytokines contribute to tumorigenicity in PCA. This is an exploratory study with a focus on the identification of circulating cerebrospinal (CSF) cytokines associated with PCA. The primary objective is to demonstrate that CSF cytokines will be differentially expressed in the subset of PCAs that are difficult to treat in comparison to their surgically amendable counterparts. This is a single-institution, retrospective study of prospectively collected data. Patients with a confirmed histological diagnosis of PCA who have simultaneous intraoperative CSF sampling are included. Cerebrospinal fluid samples are subjected to multiplex cytokine profiling. Patient-derived PCA lines from selected patients in the same study cohort are cultured. Their cell culture supernatants are collected and interrogated using the sample multiplex platform as the CSF. A total of 8 patients are recruited. There were two patients with surgically difficult tumors associated with leptomeningeal involvement. Multiplex profiling of the cohort’s CSF samples showed elevated expressions of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-4, and TNF-α in these two patients in comparison to the remaining cohort. Next, primary cell lines derived from the same PCA patients demonstrated a similar trend of differential cytokine expression in their cell culture supernatant in vitro. Although our findings are preliminary at this stage, this is the first study in pediatric PCAs that show cytokine expression differences between the two groups of PCA with different clinical behaviors.