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Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) is a rare entity most commonly diagnosed postmortem with rates in autopsy series ranging from 0.9 to 1.6%. A 63-year-old female with past medical history of hypertension and mitral valve prolapse presented to the hospital with shortness of breath, headache, and necrotic skin lesions on her hands and feet. Computed tomography (CT) scan of her chest demonstrated a pulmonary embolus in the right lower lung segmental artery and right upper lobe lobar to segmental pulmonary artery, a mass-like consolidation in the left upper lung field impeding the hilum. CT scan of the abdomen demonstrated metastatic disease in liver and bone and bilateral femoral deep vein thrombosis. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation with two small mobile plaques on the mitral valve and two immobile plaques on the descending aorta. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was consistent with subacute infarcts and metastatic disease. Bronchoscopy was performed and pathology revealed primary adenocarcinoma of the lung. She was treated with anticoagulation and systemic chemotherapy. The patient and family elected to proceed with hospice due to her clinical decline, poor performance status, and poor prognosis after a prolonged hospital stay. Underlying malignancy is detected in approximately 40–85% of patients with NBTE. Lung cancer is the most frequently associated malignancy followed by pancreatic, stomach, breast, and ovarian cancer. Widespread necrotic skin lesions as presenting symptoms of primary lung adenocarcinoma are rare. In the present case, the diagnosis of necrotic skin lesions and NBTE preceded that of the neoplastic disease. Necrotic skin lesions and NBTE can be the first manifestations of an occult malignancy causing extensive multi-organ infarcts. NBTE can present with such extensive skin lesions as a first presenting sign of malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case to present with such extensive skin lesions as the first presenting symptom of lung adenocarcinoma.

BackgroundPathologic staging is crucial in colorectal cancer (CRC). Unlike the majority of solid tumors, the current staging model does not use tumor size as a criterion. We evaluated the predictive and prognostic impact of primary tumor size on all stages of CRC.MethodsUsing the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we conducted an analysis of CRC patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 who underwent resection of their primary cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify predictive and prognostic factors, Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models for association between tumor size and survival.ResultsAbout 61,000 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median age was 63 years and majority of the tumors were colon primary (82.7%). AJCC stage distribution was: I - 20.1%; II - 32.1%; III - 34.7% and IV - 13.1%. The prognostic impact of tumor size was strongly associated with survival in stage III disease. Compared to patients with tumors 10cm (HR 1.95 (1.65-2.31; p

BackgroundTumor sidedness as a prognostic factor in advanced stage colon cancer (CC) is well established. The impact of tumor sidedness on the clinical outcomes of stage II and III CC has not been well studied.MethodsThe National Cancer Database (NCDB) was utilized to identify patients with pathological stage II and III primary adenocarcinoma of the colon from 2010 to 2015 using ICD-O-3 morphology and topography codes: 8140-47, 8210-11, 8220-21, 8260-63, 8480-81, 8490 and C18.0, 18.2,18.3, 18.5,18.6, 18.7. Univariate (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) survival analyses and Kaplan–Meier Curves with Log-rank test were utilized to compare overall survival (OS) based on tumor location and treatment received.ResultsA total of 35,071 patients with stage II (n = 17,629) and III (n = 17,442) CC were identified. 51.3% female; 81.5% Caucasian; median age 66 (range, 18–90). Majority of stage II and III tumors were right sided, 61.2% (n = 10,794) and 56.0% (n = 9,763). Microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) was more common in stage II compared to III, 23.3% (n = 4,115) vs 18.2% (n = 3,171) (p < 0.0001). In stage II MSI-H CC right was more common than left, 78.3% (n = 3223) vs 21.7% (n = 892). There was no significant difference in survival between stage II MSI-H left vs right (5-year OS 76.2 vs 74.7%, p = 0.1578). Stage II MSS CC right was more common than left, 56.0% (n = 7571) vs 44.0% (n = 5943), and survival was better in the left vs right (5-year OS 73.2 vs 70.8%, p = 0.0029). Stage III MSI-H CC was more common in the right than in the left, 75.6% (n = 2,397) vs 24.4% (n = 774) and survival was better in the left (5-year OS 62.5 vs 56.5%, p = 0.0026). Stage III MSS CC was more common in the right than in the left, 51.6% (n = 7,366) vs 48.4% (n = 6,905), and survival was better in the left vs right (5-year OS 67.0 vs 54.4%, p < 0.001).ConclusionSurvival was better in left sided tumors compared to right in stage II MSS, stage III MSS, and stage III MSI-H CC.

Background: Clinico-pathological high-risk features are frequently utilized in adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) decisions in stage II colorectal cancer and their utility in stage II appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) is not established. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of high-risk features in clinical outcomes and whether high risk features are predictive of AC benefit in stage II AA. Methods: Patients with pathological stage II AA between 2010 and 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) using ICD-O-3 morphology and topography codes: 8140, 8480 and C18.1. High risk stage II AA was defined as having at least one of the following clinicopathological features: T4 tumor,

Myocardial injury or infarction in the setting of anaphylaxis can be due to anaphylaxis itself, known as Kounis syndrome, or as a result of treatment with epinephrine. Myocardial ischemia caused by therapeutic doses of epinephrine in the setting of anaphylaxis is a rare event attributed to coronary artery vasospasm. A 41-year-old female with past medical history of recurrent costochondritis, chronic thrombocytopenia, and nonspecific palindromic rheumatism presented to the emergency department with perioral numbness, flushing and throat tightness after a meal containing fish and almonds. Intramuscular epinephrine was ordered but inadvertently administered intravenously, after which she developed sharp, substernal chest pain and palpitations. Electrocardiogram showed normal sinus rhythm with QT interval prolongation. Troponin peaked at 1.41 ng/mL. She was given 324 mg of aspirin in the emergency department. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed normal ejection fraction with lateral wall motion abnormality. We present a case of a patient with no significant risk factors for coronary artery disease who developed myocardial injury following inadvertent IV administration of a therapeutic dose of epinephrine for an anaphylactic-like reaction. The development of myocardial injury after epinephrine is rare, with only six reported cases in literature and just one after intravenous administration. This is the first described case of known myocardial injury without ST-T wave changes on electrocardiogram . The proposed mechanism is an alpha-1 receptor-mediated coronary vascular spasm resulting in myocardial ischemia. The aim of this case is to raise awareness of the potential for acute myocardial injury after inadvertent intravenous administration of epinephrine for anaphylaxis, even in patients with no known risk factors for coronary artery disease, as well as to demonstrate that this clinical scenario can present regardless of troponin elevation and without ST-T wave ECG changes.