Obesity and the Risk of Malignancy: An Evolving Saga

Worldwide, the prevalence of both obesity and cancer are rising. So far, there is an association between obesity and an increased risk of at least 20 different cancers and this number is increasing. The mechanism behind obesity increasing the risk of cancer varies. The importance of looking at all aspects of obesity, such as hip to waist ratio, body fat distribution and waist circumference, in addition to BMI has been acknowledged in order to further understand these mechanisms.

Cardiac Tamponade: experience from a Malaysian district hospital

Background Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency. This study was carried out to determine the etiologies of cardiac tamponade and review the management and outcomes.

Methods We retrospectively analysed case records of patients who underwent pericardiocentesis for cardiac tamponade during the two consecutive years (1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019) at Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail, Batu Pahat, in Johor, Malaysia.

Tuberculosis of the axial skeleton mimicking malignancy

Multifocal bony lesions involving vertebral bodies and cancellous bones commonly occur in metastases and haematological malignancies. However, tuberculosis being a ‘great mimic’, can have a similar presentation. We present a young Indian female who had bony lesions involving multiple cancellous bones, without constitutional features. Extensive search for a neoplastic cause revealed negative results. Histopathological examination of the involved tissue revealed diagnosis of tuberculosis, which was not suspected. The patient improved remarkably with antitubercular therapy.

Utility and prevalence of imaging for underlying cancer in unprovoked pulmonary embolism

Current guidelines state that patients over 40 years of age with a first unprovoked pulmonary embolism should be offered limited screening for possible cancer and considered for intensive screening (abdomino-pelvic computed tomography and mammography), despite no evidence for the latter. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility and cost of intensive screening in routine clinical practice.