SERTOLI-LEYDIG CELL TUMOR

During this past trip, a 21 year old female came to clinic with a pelvic mass. In 2010 she had a laparotomy with excision of her left ovary for a tumor. Unfortunately, she was lost to followup and never received chemotherapy. 

We reoperated on this patient. We found a tumor recurrence anterior to the bladder, which we resected. The pathology showed a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor, which is a member of the sex cord-stromal tumors. This tumor can produce androgens (male hormones) in one third of patients and cause masculinization including acne and hirsutism, voice deepening, clitoromegally, temporal hair recession, and an increase in musculature. These tumors are sometimes called arrhenoblastomas or androblastomas.

Our patient recovered without difficulty and is now receiving chemotherapy.

GOOD NEWS-YOU HAVE BASIDIOBOLOMYCOSIS

On my last trip, Ika Imene, a 60 year-old man,  arrived with a right lower quadrant mass and abdominal distention. We operated and found a large 8 cm cecal mass. We did a right hemicolectomy. When we cut the specimen open, we found a near obstructing mass in the colon. I was sure we were dealing with a colon cancer.  Ika recovered without any complications but I thought his chances of cure were slim.

Yesterday, Dr. Danny Milner contacted me with the pathology results. Great news-the patient doesn't have cancer, he has basidiobolomycosis. I never heard of this before and I doubt many people have. Basidiowhatever is a rare disease caused by the fungus basidiobolus ranarum, an environmental saprophyte found worldwide. Treatment is surgery combined with antifungals. Great news for the patient.