Objective: To present patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) in our centre over a 10 year period in order to confirm current understanding of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and observe any possible specifities in our cohort. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study all patients diagnosed with GCA in the Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka from 1 Jan 2011 to 31 Dec 2021 were included. Data were collected on disease presentation and diagnostic workup at the initial exam, and treatment. Results: A total of 51 patients were included in the study, of which 72.55% patients were female, and 72.55% were over 70. Of 50 patients with available data in medical documentation, 8 (16.00%) had systemic disease (S-GCA), while the rest had cranial disease (C-GCA). Headache, considered also a pathognomonic sign, was the most common initial symptom (88.00% in whole cohort, or 97.62% if S-GCA is excluded). Of 49 patients, all had increased erthyrocyte sedimentation rate. Temporal artery biopsy was positive in 12/16 patients with C-GCA, while temporal artery ultrasound was positive in 12/16 patients. Biopsy or ultrasound was not performed in 18 patients, of which 8 were patients with S-GCA, and data were not available for one patient. No patients had both a biopsy and ultrasound performed. All patients were treated with glucocorticoids, 9.80% were also treated with methotrexate, 7.84% with toclizumab, and one with both methotrexate and azathioprine. Conclusion: These results are comparable to other centres in Croatia and at least one centre abroad.
Aim: Renal cell carcinoma is one of the deadliest cancers which takes the third place among malignant carcinomas of the genitourinary tract. This case report describes the rare case of a large fast-growing metastasis of renal cell cancer in an unusual location with the short time of its appearance, but with an unexpected clinical course after its treatment. Case report: A 60-year-old female patient presented with a fist-sized formation on the scalp. During physical examination, the mass was determined to be firm, infiltrative, fixed, and painless on palpation. The formation had appeared a month prior to arrival, characterized by fast growth. The patient underwent a radical nephrectomy six months earlier due to RCC. A cranial radiogram showed osteolysis of the neurocranium, while an MRI of the brain confirmed the mass belonged to the scalp, no brain infiltration, measuring 82 × 60 × 74 mm. Fine needle aspiration isolated malignant cells of an adenocarcinoma, origin undetermined. The patient underwent surgery to remove the mass along with the effected neurocranium, and the resulting bone defect was reconstructed using Palacos. Postoperative recovery went well, and the pathohistological analysis confirmed renal cancer metastasis. PET-CT didn't show suspicious lesions for distal metastasis for a period of 2 years. Conclusion: Renal cell carcinoma commonly metastasizes to the lung. This case report presents the rare case of a large fast-growing renal cancer metastasis to an unusual location, with a short time for metastasis appearance. In spite of that we have shown two years follow up of remission.
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