Phyllodes tumors are rare fibroepithelial neoplasms that account for less than 1% of all breast tumors and are typically found in middle-aged women. Phyllodes tumors that present with hypoglycemia are even rarer. No one morphologic finding is reliable in predicting the clinical behavior of this tumor. Surgery has been the primary mode of treatment to date. However, the extent of resection and the role of adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy are still controversial. Here, we present a challenging case of malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast associated with hypoglycemia, and review the literature regarding clinical findings, pathologic risk factors for recurrence, and treatment recommendations.

Since its emergence as a chemotherapy agent, gemcitabine has been associated with cutaneous adverse reactions. Rash is reported to be the most common cutaneous adverse effect. Other reported cutaneous reactions in the literature include bullous dermatosis, pseudocellulitis, subacute cutaneous lupus alopecia, and palmar–plantar erythrodysesthesia. Skin necrosis is a very rare adverse effect of this otherwise well-tolerated chemotherapeutic agent. In searching the literature, only one other case has been reported. In our report, we present a 74-year-old male with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, status-post pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure), who developed a rare case of skin necrosis of the lower leg 2 weeks after completing six cycles of monotherapy gemcitabine treatment.

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) is a rare leptomeningeal spread of diffusely metastatic tumors. It occurs more commonly with hematologic tumors, less commonly with solid tumors, and is exceedingly rare in prostate cancer. Due to its scarcity, it has traditionally been difficult to diagnose LC but advancement of MRI has helped considerably. However, even with technological improvements, pre-mortem diagnosis of LC remains difficult and controversial. Our case is a 71-year-old male with prostate cancer with bone metastases who presented to our facility with altered mental status (AMS), lower extremity weakness, and worsening diarrhea. The diarrhea was responsive to antibiotic therapy, but his AMS did not resolve. A head CT without contrast was negative but follow-up brain MRI revealed leptomeningeal enhancement highly suggestive of LC. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology results were negative and other CSF studies were inconclusive. Although further studies were planned, the patient continued to deteriorate, and the family elected to withdraw care. He passed away without beginning treatment for the LC. Despite advances in cancer therapies, LC remains difficult to diagnose and treat. Imaging may be suggestive of the condition but the confirmatory tests such as repeated CSF cytology or meningeal biopsy are not only invasive but also usually occur postmortem. Additional methods of CSF testing have been studied to evaluate their role in accurately diagnosing LC but low specificity for LC has somewhat limited their use. Although treatment options are mainly palliative in nature, prompt recognition and early treatment could grant valuable time for patients and families.

Oncocytic neoplasms are tumors composed predominantly or exclusively of oncocytes (large polygonal cells with granular eosinophilic cytoplasm due to abnormal mitochondrial accumulation). These tumors are frequently reported in the thyroid, kidneys, and salivary glands. However, they are distinctly rare in the adrenal cortex. Oncocytic adrenocortical neoplasms (OAN) are classified regarding their biological behavior by their histological features according to the Lin-Weiss-Bisceglia system (LWB). Here, we report a case of OAN of borderline or uncertain malignant potential (BMP) with subsequently identified papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A 34-year-old female with a nine-month history of fatigue presented with chest pain. A right adrenal mass was incidentally found while ruling out pulmonary embolism. A CT-guided adrenal biopsy, although not routinely indicated, was performed and interpreted as malignant with no definitive origin. Hormonal workup was unremarkable. PET-scan showed hypermetabolic adrenal mass with peak standardized uptake value of 15, suspicious of malignancy. A hypermetabolic thyroid nodule was also identified, but there was no evidence of metastatic disease. The patient underwent adrenalectomy, and the initial pathology report was interpreted as atypical pink cell tumor. A second pathology report from another laboratory favored OAN based on the morphology and immunohistochemical staining. While the histologic criteria of malignancy were not met, the large tumor size makes it compatible with BMP according to LWB criteria. A follow-up thyroid ultrasound revealed a complex thyroid nodule. A total thyroidectomy was performed, and pathology was consistent with PTC. Of interest, PTC frequently shows an increase in mitochondrial content, which is characteristic of oncocytic tumors. This case illustrates that OAN, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adrenal masses. When OAN is identified, it should be classified regarding its biological behavior as benign or malignant using the LWB system and, eventually, the reticulin algorithm of Duregon, et al. Oncocytoma can be confirmed ultrastructurally or by immunohistochemistry. Studying the gene mutations in patients presenting with oncocytic malignancies and other tumors that demonstrate mitochondrial proliferation as PTC might help to understand the role of mitochondrial proliferation in cancer development.