Pleura & Mediastinum Flashcards
What anti-epileptic drug causes lymphocytic pleural effusion?
Phenytoin, particularly in early stage of treatment . Carbamazepine, though less common
What type of effusion does Sodium Valproate cause?
Eosinophilic pleural effusion
What is the most common hospital acquired pleural infection?
Methicillin- resistant staph aureus
What is mesothelioma?
Malignant tumour of mesothelial surfaces (most commonly pleura) usually resulting from asbestos exposure
What causes Mesothelioma?
ASBESTOS
- history of occupational exposure in up to 90% of cases
Other; Non asbestos fibres (erionite) found in rocks in Turkey, Simian Virus 40 (contaminated polio vaccine) , Spontaneous in children
What is the latent interval between first exposure to asbestos and death?
Around 40 years
What is the most potent type of asbestos for mesothelioma?
Amphibole - blue (Amisite - brown , and crocidolite)- crocidolite most dangerous
(Serpentine - chrystolite , white , previously thought to be safer)
Is mesothelioma dose related ?
Not dose related and no threshold of exposure
Is there an association between mesothelioma and smoking ?
No
What is the main clinical feature of mesothelioma?
Chest pain
Also; breathless, profuse sweating
What are the CT features of mesothelioma?
- Moderate to Large pleural effusion and pleural modularity and enhancement and involvement of mediastinal pleural
- Localised pleural mass/ thickening without free fluid
- Uniform en casement of the lung - small hemithorax
- Local invasion of chest wall, ribs, heart , mediastinum, hilar nodes and diaphragm, transdiaphragmatic spread to contralateral pleura
- Associated pleural plaque and fibrosis in minority of cases
What are the histological subtypes of mesothelioma?
EPITHELOID - 50% of cases , may be confused with adeno, better prognosis
SARCOMATOID (Fibrous / Lymphohistiocytoid and desmoplastic pattern) - worse prognosis
MIXED
How diagnose mesothelioma histologically
Need 2 positive mesothelial immunohistochemical markers (Calretin , Cytokeratin 5/6 , Wilma Tumour 1 and podoplanin D240) AND 2 negative adenocarcinoma immunohistochemical markers (thyroid transcription factor TTF1 ,CEA and Ber EP4)
What are the poor prognostic factors in mesothelioma?
Transdiaphragmatic muscle invasion
Involvement of mediastinal LNs
Male
> 75 years
Chest pain
Poor PS
High WCC
Thrombocytosis
Non epitheloid histology
What are the prognostic tools in Mesothelioma?
EORTC
CALGB Score
Modified Glasgow predictive score MGPS
LENT score (if effusion)
Brim’s decision tree : (WL /PS/ Hb / Albumin/ Histo) ** used in clinical practice
Is radiotherapy used in mesothelioma?
Only for palliative radiotherapy for chest wall pain etc
Is surgery used in mesothelioma ?
Not recommended not shown to be beneficial in trial of EPP and EPD
What SACT is used in mesothelioma?
1st line : NIVOLUMAB and IPILUMAB
2nd line : Pemetrexed and Cisplatin
What is the prognosis for mesothelioma?
4-12 months from diagnosis
What proportion of mediastinal masses are benign?
2/3
What increases likelihood of a mediastinal mass being malignant ?
- Age 20-40 years
- Symptoms
- Anterior location of mass
What are the symptoms of mediastinal disease ?
Cough, chest pain , dyspnoea
Symptoms related to compression: dysphagia, stridor, SVCO, Horners
Systemic effects : night sweats , WL (lymphoma)
Paraneoplastic - myasthenia with thymoma
What is the Anterior Mediastinum?
Pre-Vascular (Anterior) mediastinum is the area behind the sternum and infront of fibrous pericardium and great vessels
Contains Thymus, Fat, LN and left brachiocephalic vein
What masses can you get in anterior (pre-vascular) mediastinum ?
4 Ts:
Thymus (Thymoma, Thymic cyst , Thymic hyperplasia, Thymic carcinoma)
Terrible Lymphoma
Teratoma (Germ cell tumours)
Thyroid goitre
Also: parathyroid adenoma, Lipoma , Morgagni Anterior diaphragmatic hernia