Human pathology
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New and effective treatments for advanced gastric cancer are urgently needed. Cyclins E and D1 form a complex with cyclin-dependent kinase 2, 4, or 6 to regulate G1-S transition. The G1-S regulatory genes encoding cyclin E (CCNE1), cyclin D1 (CCND1), and CDK6 (CDK6) are frequently amplified in gastric cancer and may therefore influence molecularly targeted therapies against ERBB2 or EGFR when coamplified. ⋯ The observation that cells with G1-S regulatory gene amplification contained clonal subpopulations with coamplification of ERBB2, EGFR, or KRAS in 5 early and 3 advanced cancers suggests that amplification of the G1-S regulatory genes represents an early event, which precedes ERBB2, EGFR, or KRAS amplification. Amplified CCNE1, CCND1, and CDK6 in advanced gastric cancer may be potentially useful as direct targets for molecular therapy or for combination therapy with ERBB2 or EGFR inhibitors. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification could be a useful tool for identification of patients who would benefit from such therapies.
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Comparative Study
Atypical variants of nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma show low microvessel density and vessels of distention type.
Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) presents different histopathologic growth patterns, including atypical forms showing overlapping histopathologic and clinical features with T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (THRLBCL). Because growth patterns are associated with vessel distribution, the aim of the present study was to compare angiogenesis in different NLPHL patterns with THRLBCL as well as other lymphomas. Atypical variants of NLPHL and THRLBCL (n=10 per group) both showed a low microvessel density (MVD; 1.16-1.31/μm2) with a diffuse vessel distribution. ⋯ THRLBCL and typical NLPHL could additionally be distinguished by differences in their molecular angiogenesis signature. Furthermore, the number of intravascular T cells was significantly reduced in THRLBCL (0.0028 T cells/mm2 vessel area) when compared with typical NLPHL (0.0059 T cells/mm2 vessel area), potentially reflecting the different composition of the microenvironment in these 2 lymphoma entities. The results of our study reveal a similar vascular pattern and angiogenesis behavior in atypical NLPHL variants and THRLBCL in contrast to the retained follicular pattern in typical NLPHL.
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The Fontan operation is a widely used palliative procedure in patients with single-ventricle anatomy that results in liver injury. As timely identification of liver fibrosis may result in management changes to Fontan patients, the aim of our study was to identify clinically meaningful semi quantitative/quantitative pathologic parameters for biopsy assessment. We performed a retrospective review of 74 liver needle biopsies from Fontan patients. ⋯ Pathologic gradings and %CD correlated with each other (r = 0.48-0.8, P < .001). Hepatic fibrosis in Fontan patients in our study is universally present, appears to be time dependent, and correlates with few laboratory measurements of liver function. Careful assessment of needle liver biopsies lends a more meaningful measure of liver fibrosis in the Fontan patient than clinical and laboratory data, allowing for appropriate changes to patient management.
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p53 alterations have been identified in approximately 23% of breast carcinomas, particularly in hormone receptor-negative high-grade carcinomas. It is considered to be an early event in breast carcinogenesis. Nevertheless, the putative precursor lesion of high-grade breast carcinoma remains elusive. ⋯ The p53-stained normal/benign cells were ER negative and did not show an increase in the Ki-67 labeling index. These findings indicate that the p53 staining positivity in normal/benign breast tissue is not a random event. It could be considered as the "p53 signature" in breast and serve as an indicator for future potential risk of p53-positive high-grade breast carcinoma.
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Case Reports
Tumor progression in DICER1-mutated cystic nephroma-witnessing the genesis of anaplastic sarcoma of the kidney.
We report a 7-month-old female infant with a multicystic left renal tumor having histologic features predominantly of a cystic nephroma, but with microscopic cellular foci which contained atypical mitotic figures and anaplastic nuclei. Immunohistochemistry showed strong p53 reactivity in the anaplastic region. ⋯ Moreover, the germ line DICER1 mutation prompted consideration that this case represents a unique "nascent" anaplastic sarcoma of kidney, and further immunohistochemical workup demonstrated cytoplasmic, but no nuclear WT-1 reactivity in the cellular foci. The importance of meticulous sampling of cystic lesions is highlighted by this unprecedented case, which lends support to the recent recognition of anaplastic sarcoma of kidney as a DICER1-associated cancer.