Pleural malignant mesothelioma causing cord infiltration through the nerve root. Case report.

Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 2009 Apr;49(4):167-71

Authors: Okura H, Suga Y, Akiyama O, Kudo K, Tsutsumi S, Abe Y, Yasumoto Y, Ito M, Izumi H,

Shiomi K A 61-year-old man presented with a rare pleural malignant mesothelioma of the spine manifesting as progressive weakness of the bilateral lower extremities, numbness in the body and both legs, and dysfunction of the bladder and bowel. He had previous occupational exposure to asbestos while working at a car repair shop and had undergone right panpleuropneumonectomy under a diagnosis of sarcomatous type mesothelioma in the right pleural space. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine with gadolinium showed an enhanced intramedullary tumor at the T4 level. Operative findings disclosed the clouded and swollen right posterior nerve root, and the pial surface was covered by clouded arachnoid-like membrane. The removed part of the T4 posterior nerve root and intramedullary tumor revealed malignant mesothelioma with invasion spreading along the posterior nerve root. He died of respiratory failure 3 months after the diagnosis. This case shows that spinal metastasis must be considered if a patient with pleural malignant mesothelioma shows neurological worsening and neuroimaging shows an abnormal lesion in the thoracic spinal cord. However, the patient's neurological condition is very difficult to improve in the presence of spinal cord infiltration.

PMID: 19398862 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Primary localized malignant biphasic mesothelioma of the liver in a patient with asbestosis.

World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Feb 7;15(5):615-21

Authors: Sasaki M, Araki I, Yasui T, Kinoshita M, Itatsu K, Nojima T, Nakanuma Y

We report a case of primary localized malignant biphasic mesothelioma of the liver in a 66-year-old man associated with asbestosis. The tumor was detected as a hepatic nodule, 4 cm in diameter, in the right lobe (S8 segment) on CT scan. Histopathological examination demonstrated an intrahepatic tumor with central necrosis consisting of a papillary epithelioid pattern on the surface of the liver, microcystic (microglandular or adenomatoid) pattern mainly in the subcapsular area and sarcomatoid pattern intermingled with microcystic pattern in the major part of the hepatic nodular tumor. Tumor cells, especially of epithelioid type, showed distinct immunoreactivity for mesothelial markers (WT-1, calretinin, D2-40, CK5/6, mesothelin, thrombomodulin) and no immunoreactivity for epithelial (adenocarcinoma) markers (CEA, CD15, BerEP4, BG8, MOC31). P53 immunoreactivity was detected focally in papillary epithelioid tumor cells and extensively in microcystic and sarcomatoid components, suggesting that the papillary epithelioid mesothelioma arose on the surface of the liver, and tumor cells showing microcystic and sarcomatoid patterns invaded and grew into the liver. To date, this is the first case of primary localized malignant biphasic mesothelioma of the liver, since all three primary hepatic mesotheliomas reported so far were epithelioid type.

PMID: 19195066 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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