A 69-year-old Japanese man presented with bilateral gynecomastia and a soft, mobile and clearly defined mass beneath the left nipple. A round radiopaque masswas revealed on mammography. The tumor was homogeneous, hypoechoic and measured2.4 x 3.9 cm on ultrasonography. Based on a diagnosis of malignant lymphoma by needle aspiration cytology, a modified radical mastectomy with ipsilateral axillary lymph node dissection was performed. Malignant diffuse large B-cell type lymphoma was diagnosed histologically. Whole body examinations revealed no evidenceof other tumors. Three courses of adjuvant CHOP therapy were subsequently performed. The patient is free of recurrence 12 months after surgery. Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the male breast is extremely rare. The occurrence of lymphoma in this patient could be related to elevated estrogen levels.
We report a case of hypocalcemic myopathy confounded by polymyositis due to an elevated level of serum creatine kinase (CK). A 30-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the treatment of provisionally diagnosed polymyositis. His presentation with tetany, hyporeflexia, and general fatigue, in addition to muscle weakness on admission, prompted us to scrutinize a blood sample in search of secondary myopathy. Blood chemistry revealed an elevated level of serum CK, marked hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and a low serum level of intact parathyroid hormone. The Ellsworth Howard test confirmed the diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism. Supplementation with calcium and 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 improved his muscle weakness rapidly, and his serum CK level returned to the normal range. Hypoparathyroidism should be included in differential diagnoses of elevated serum CK.
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