Activity

  • Dahl Udsen posted an update 1 week, 2 days ago

    in patients with tumors demonstrating mucinous, signet ring cell, or medullary differentiation.Endometrial carcinoma (EC), as described by Bokhman, has historically been classified as Type I (low-grade, hormone-dependant, young patients, good prognosis) or Type II (high-grade, hormone-independent, older patients, poor prognosis). This classification is no longer pragmatic, however, as EC is a much more heterogeneous disease. Four molecular subtypes of EC were identified by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and subsequent studies have demonstrated its utility in predicting prognosis. While endometrial serous carcinoma (ESC), the prototypical Type II EC, largely occurs in older women, younger women with ESC were not accounted for in the Bokhman model and were underrepresented in the TCGA study. We hypothesized that a subset of ESCs in young patients do not represent bona fide serous carcinomas but rather high-grade endometrioid carcinomas mimicking a serous phenotype. We identified ESCs and mixed endometrioid/serous carcinomas in women less then 60 years (n=37), and analyzed their clinical, morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular characteristics. Sixteen percent showed mismatch repair deficiency (MMR-D) and 11% were diagnosed with Lynch syndrome. Additionally, 16% of cases tested harbored a hotspot POLE exonuclease domain mutation (POLE-EDM). Morphologically, 47% of tumors showed confirmatory endometrioid features, including atypical hyperplasia, a low-grade endometrioid carcinoma component, or squamous differentiation. Clinically, the overall survival in patients with MMR-D and POLE-EDM was significantly better than that of patients without these features (P=0.0329). selleck chemicals llc In conclusion, ESCs in young patients comprise a heterogeneous group of tumors, demonstrating diverse clinical, immunohistochemical, morphologic, and molecular features which have implications for prognosis and adjuvant therapy.Secretory carcinoma (SC) of the salivary glands is a low-grade carcinoma characterized by a well-defined morphology and immunohistochemical features. ETV6-NTRK3 fusions are detected in the great majority of SCs. Recently, other partners fused to ETV6 have been documented in a small portion of SCs, suggesting the presence of alternative genetic fusion. In this study, we examined the genetic fusion of 9 SCs using fluorescence in situ hybridization, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and next-generation sequencing (ArcherDx). Classic ETV6 exon 5-NTRK3 exon 15 fusion was detected in 8 of 9 SCs. The remaining tumor was negative for the ETV6-NTRK3 fusion but harbored a novel fusion, CTNNA1 exon 11-ALK in exon 20. Immunohistochemically, pan-TRK was positive in 8 tumors with ETV6-NTRK3 fusion but negative in an ALK-rearranged SC, while ALK was positive only in the ALK-rearranged tumor. Histologically, the ALK-rearranged tumor showed dominant macrocystic architecture. In conclusion, we found a case of SC with CTNNA1-ALK fusion. Because ALK fusion after exon 20 on the ALK side (upstream of the tyrosine kinase domain) has been reported to activate a carcinogenic kinase in various ALK-rearranged tumors, ALK inhibitors may be a possible therapeutic option for ALK-rearranged SC. In addition, ALK immunohistochemistry can be a screening tool for ALK-rearranged SC. This study also expands the molecular spectrum of this tumor beyond the ETV6 gene.The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) organized a Consultation Conference in March 2019 dealing with applications of molecular pathology in Urogenital Pathology, including testicular tumors (with a focus on germ cell tumors [GCTs]), preceded by a survey among its members to get insight into current practices in testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) diagnostics and adoption of the ISUP immunohistochemical guidelines published in 2014. On the basis of the premeeting survey, the most commonly used immunomarker panel includes OCT3/4, placental alkaline phosphate, D2-40, SALL4, CD117, and CD30 for GCTs and the documentation of germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS). Molecular testing, specifically 12p copy gain, is informative to distinguish non-GCNIS versus GCNIS related GCTs, and establishing germ cell origin of tumors both in the context of primary and metastatic lesions. Other molecular methodologies currently available but not widely utilized for TGCTs include genome-wide and targeted approaches for specific genetic anomalies, P53 mutations, genomic MDM2 amplification, and detection of the p53 inactivating miR-371a-3p. The latter also holds promise as a serum marker for malignant TGCTs. This manuscript provides an update on the classification of TGCTs, and describes the current and future role of molecular-genetic testing. The following recommendations are made (1) Presence of GCNIS should be documented in all cases along with extent of spermatogenesis; (2) Immunohistochemical staining is optional in the following scenarios identification of GCNIS, distinguishing embryonal carcinoma from seminoma, confirming presence of yolk sac tumor and/or choriocarcinoma, and differentiating spermatocytic tumor from potential mimics; (3) Detection of gain of the short arm of chromosome 12 is diagnostic to differentiate between non-GCNIS versus GCNIS related GCTs and supportive to the germ cell origin of both primary and metastatic tumors.PURPOSE OF REVIEW His bundle pacing (HBP) has emerged as a novel method to achieve electrical resynchronization in bundle branch block and as an alternative means to deliver cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). There are now data on HBP in CRT-eligible patients from cohort studies and a single pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). RECENT FINDINGS Early clinical data regarding HBP in heart failure have demonstrated echocardiographic and functional improvement similar to traditional biventricular pacing (BiV), mostly when utilized as a bailout to traditional BiV-CRT. A single pilot RCT, His-SYNC, showed a trend toward greater echocardiographic response in an on-treatment analysis, but was underpowered. No large RCTs have reported long-term clinical outcomes. In order to realize any benefit from HBP, output-dependent morphology changes must be demonstrated to ensure the conduction system capture is present. There may be a role for corrective HBP in patients with right bundle branch block and after atrioventricular node ablation, which is theoretically more desirable than traditional BiV.