Umay Kiraz, Emma Rewcastle, Kirsten B Pettersen, Desmond M Abono, Sadia H Raghe, Einar G Gudlaugsson, Jan P A Baak, Emilius A M Janssen
{"title":"In triple-negative breast cancer, fibrotic focus, the mitotic activity index and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes have independent prognostic value: an observational population-based cohort study with very long follow-up.","authors":"Umay Kiraz, Emma Rewcastle, Kirsten B Pettersen, Desmond M Abono, Sadia H Raghe, Einar G Gudlaugsson, Jan P A Baak, Emilius A M Janssen","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2024-209855","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp-2024-209855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is prognostically and therapeutically heterogeneous. The mitotic activity index (MAI) and fibrotic focus (FF) have been established as predictors in non-TNBC but not in TNBC. Late distant metastases occur in TNBC, but previous studies had short follow-up. High stromal tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) are prognostically favourable, but prognostic sTILs-thresholds are not well assessed. We evaluated prognostic/predictive characteristics in an observational population-based cohort of 231 consecutive TNBC patients with long follow-up.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>MAI, FF, sTILs and other characteristics were analysed with standard receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, percentile-derived prognostic thresholds, univariate and multivariate survival methods. A TNBC index and decision tree were assessed for distant metastasis-free survival.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Long follow-up was decisive: 7% of patients developed late distant metastases. In agreement with the aggressive nature of TNBC, the strongest prognostic MAI-threshold was 5 (p=0.001), lower than that for non-TNBC phenotypes. Lymph-node (LN) status (p=0.0003), FF (p=0.002), MAI5 (p=0.009) and sTILs (threshold 40%, p=0.003) were multivariable based significant and independent prognosticators, but no other characteristics (age, tumour size and grade). LN status was the strongest prognosticator, followed by FF, MAI5 and sTILs40. Subgroup analyses of patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) showed that only FF and sTILs had significant prognostic value, while LN-positivity and the combination of LN-positivity and MAI≥5 could be a predictive factor for ACT outcome.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LN status, MAI5, FF and sTILs40 are prognostic factors in TNBC patients. In TNBC patients who have undergone ACT, the combination of LN-positivity and MAI5 is predictive for response to treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143449107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Indian childhood cirrhosis: a retrospective study -redefining the older myths!","authors":"Surbhi Goyal, Akanksha Singh, Shivanshu Gangwar, Aditi Goyal, Puja Sakhuja, Seema Kapoor","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2023-208934","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2023-208934","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>This retrospective study emphasises the need of awareness for clinicopathological attributes of Indian childhood cirrhosis (ICC) in order to enable timely diagnosis and management.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was done on liver archival tissue of our department from the period of January 2016 to December 2022. Of these, cases of copper overload on paediatric biopsies were retrieved. The histopathological features were scrutinised independently by three pathologists, correlating with their clinico-radiological investigations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five children in infancy to middle childhood presented with features of chronic liver disease in the form of jaundice and abdominal distention, were included in the study. Characteristic firm hepatomegaly with sharp margins and transaminitis was noted in all cases. Autoimmune, viral and metabolic workup were negative in all these patients except one which showed positive autoimmunity and another whose Coomb's test was positive. Normal ceruloplasmin levels and unremarkable slit lamp examination excluded the possibility of Wilson's disease. The histological features of marked ballooning degeneration with diffuse Mallory Denk, pericellular fibrosis, absence of steatosis and panlobular copper deposits clinched the diagnosis of ICC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ICC once believed to be extinct has still not vanished and remains underdiagnosed in routine practice. It is a rapidly fatal disease with a debatable pattern of inheritance and controversial role of copper as etiological agent. The clinical presentation is often deceptive and lack of awareness leads to misdiagnosis. Histopathological attributes are pathognomonic and possibility of ICC should be kept in all cases of cryptogenic cirrhosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"161-168"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139403111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dissociation in hepatic vein pressure gradient, liver stiffness measurement and complications in histological subtypes of porto-sinusoidal vascular disease.","authors":"Chhagan Bihari, Sneha Dhariwal, Saggere Murlikrishna Shasthry, Archana Rastogi, Manoj Kumar Sharma, Shiv Kumar Sarin","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209321","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209321","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Portosinusoidal vascular disease (PSVD) is a broad term encompassing varied histological patterns with changes in portal tracts and sinusoids without cirrhosis. We aimed to assess whether there is any clinical and pathological difference among the various histological categories of PSVD.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>This study included liver biopsy cases classified as PSVD (2020-2022). Clinical and laboratory parameters were obtained from the electronic records. PSVD cases were histologically categorised as obliterative portal venopathy (OPV), OPV with fibrosis (OPV-F), incomplete septal cirrhosis (ISC), nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH), mega sinusoids with fibrosis (MSF) and unclassified. Follow-up complications were recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>PSVD categories were OPV (45 (26%)), OPV-F (37 (21.4%)), ISC (20 (11.6%)), NRH (19 (11%)), MSF (19 (11%)) and unclassified (33 (19%)). Elevated hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) was noted in OPV-F (10 (IQR: 12-14.7)) and ISC (12 (IQR: 9-14)) mm Hg with higher fibrosis quantity in liver tissue and elevated procollagen III aminoterminal propeptide, which correlated with HVPG. On immunohistochemistry, OPV-F and ISC showed lesser expression of ADAMT13 in liver biopsies (p<0.001). On follow-up, ascites development was more in OPV-F and ISC than in other categories (p=0.001). Higher liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values were recorded in MSF and NRH, compared with other categories, but it did not correlate with fibrosis in liver biopsy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>OPV-F and ISC had higher HVPG, fibrosis, and more ascites development on follow-up than the other categories of PSVD, and all are not the same. In contrast, MSF and NRH have spuriously high LSM.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"169-176"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139502499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peter J B Sabatini, Josh Bridgers, Shujun Huang, Gregory Downs, Tong Zhang, Clare Sheen, Nicole Park, Robert Kridel, Marco A Marra, Christian Steidl, David W Scott, Aly Karsan
{"title":"Multisite clinical cross-validation and variant interpretation of a next generation sequencing panel for lymphoid cancer prognostication.","authors":"Peter J B Sabatini, Josh Bridgers, Shujun Huang, Gregory Downs, Tong Zhang, Clare Sheen, Nicole Park, Robert Kridel, Marco A Marra, Christian Steidl, David W Scott, Aly Karsan","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209262","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209262","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Genomic sequencing of lymphomas is under-represented in routine clinical testing despite having prognostic and predictive value. Clinical implementation is challenging due to a lack of consensus on reportable targets and a paucity of reference samples. We organised a cross-validation study of a lymphoma-tailored next-generation sequencing panel between two College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited clinical laboratories to mitigate these challenges.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A consensus for the genomic targets was discussed between the two institutes based on recurrence in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and T-cell lymphomas. Using the same genomic targets, each laboratory ordered libraries independently and a cross-validation study was designed to exchange samples (8 cell lines and 22 clinical samples) and their FASTQ files.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The sensitivity of the panel when comparing different library preparation and bioinformatic workflows was between 97% and 99% and specificity was 100% when a 5% limit of detection cut-off was applied. To evaluate how the current standards for variant classification of tumours apply to lymphomas, the Association for Molecular Pathology/American Society of Clinical Oncology/CAP and OncoKB classification systems were applied to the panel. The majority of variants were assigned a possibly actionable class or likely pathogenic due to more limited evidence in the literature.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The cross-validation study highlights the benefits of sample and data exchange for clinical validation and provided a framework for reporting the findings in lymphoid malignancies.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"187-194"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11874376/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139106193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emerging fusion-associated mesenchymal tumours: a tabular guide and appraisal of five 'novel' entities.","authors":"Jinesa Moodley, Ivan Chebib","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2024-209460","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2024-209460","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>The field of molecular pathology has undergone significant advancements in the clinical impact of sarcoma diagnosis, resulting in challenges to nosology of bone and soft tissue tumours. The surge in molecular data has led to the identification of novel fusions and description of new 'entities'. To illustrate this, we have selected five emerging entities with novel fusions: clear cell stromal tumour of the lung with <i>YAP1::TFE3</i> fusion, <i>GAB1::ABL1</i> fusion spindle cell neoplasm, <i>NUTM1</i>-rearranged sarcomas, <i>NR1D1</i>-rearranged sarcomas and calcified chondroid mesenchymal neoplasms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Literature for the relevant case reports and case series of these five entities were reviewed and clinicopathological data was collected. Additionally, this review includes a table format of recently described fusion-associated mesenchymal neoplasms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The morphological and immunohistochemical features, along with diagnostic challenges, are discussed for each entity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Here, we have provided a review of selected emerging mesenchymal neoplasms, which of these neoplasms will meet the threshold to be 'new entities' remains to be determined.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"145-153"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142288256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rola H Ali, Mohamad Almanabri, Nawal Y Ali, Ahmad R Alsaber, Nisreen M Khalifa, Rania Hussein, Mona Alateeqi, Eiman M A Mohammed, Hiba Jama, Ammar Almarzooq, Noelle Benobaid, Zainab Alqallaf, Amir A Ahmed, Shakir Bahzad, Maryam Almurshed
{"title":"Clinicopathological analysis of BRAF and non-BRAF MAPK pathway-altered gliomas in paediatric and adult patients: a single-institution study of 40 patients.","authors":"Rola H Ali, Mohamad Almanabri, Nawal Y Ali, Ahmad R Alsaber, Nisreen M Khalifa, Rania Hussein, Mona Alateeqi, Eiman M A Mohammed, Hiba Jama, Ammar Almarzooq, Noelle Benobaid, Zainab Alqallaf, Amir A Ahmed, Shakir Bahzad, Maryam Almurshed","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209318","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209318","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway alteration is a major oncogenic driver in paediatric low-grade gliomas (LGG) and some adult gliomas, encompassing BRAF (most common) and non-BRAF alterations. The aim was to determine the frequency, molecular spectrum and clinicopathological features of MAPK-altered gliomas in paediatric and adult patients at our neuropathology site in Kuwait.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively searched the data of molecularly sequenced gliomas between 2018 and 2023 for MAPK alterations, revised the pathology in view of the 2021 WHO classification and evaluated the clinicopathological data for possible correlations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 272 gliomas, 40 (15%) harboured a MAPK pathway alteration in 19 paediatric (median 9.6 years; 1.2-17.6) and 21 adult patients (median 37 years; 18.9-89.2), comprising 42% and 9% of paediatric and adult cases, respectively. Pilocytic astrocytoma and glioblastoma were the most frequent diagnoses in children (47%) and adults (43%), respectively. BRAF V600E (n=17, 43%) showed a wide distribution across age groups, locations and pathological diagnoses while KIAA1549::BRAF fusion (n=8, 20%) was spatially and histologically restricted to cerebellar paediatric LGGs. Non-V600E variants and BRAF amplifications accompanied other molecular aberrations in high-grade tumours. Non-BRAF MAPK alterations (n=8) included mutations and gene fusions involving FGFR1, NTRK2, NF1, ROS1 and MYB. Fusions included KANK1::NTRK2, GOPC::ROS1 (both infant hemispheric gliomas), FGFR1::TACC1 (diffuse LGG), MYB::QKI (angiocentric glioma) and BCR::NTRK2 (glioblastoma). Paradoxical H3 K27M/MAPK co-mutations were observed in two LGGs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study provided insights into MAPK-altered gliomas in Kuwait highlighting the differences among paediatric and adult patients and providing a framework for planning therapeutic polices.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"177-186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11874301/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139403110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rima Koka, Laura M Wake, Nam K Ku, Kathryn Rice, Autumn LaRocque, Elba G Vidal, Serge Alexanian, Raymond Kozikowski, Yair Rivenson, Michael Edward Kallen
{"title":"Assessment of AI-based computational H&E staining versus chemical H&E staining for primary diagnosis in lymphomas: a brief interim report.","authors":"Rima Koka, Laura M Wake, Nam K Ku, Kathryn Rice, Autumn LaRocque, Elba G Vidal, Serge Alexanian, Raymond Kozikowski, Yair Rivenson, Michael Edward Kallen","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2024-209643","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2024-209643","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microscopic review of tissue sections is of foundational importance in pathology, yet the traditional chemistry-based histology laboratory methods are labour intensive, tissue destructive, poorly scalable to the evolving needs of precision medicine and cause delays in patient diagnosis and treatment. Recent AI-based techniques offer promise in upending histology workflow; one such method developed by PictorLabs can generate near-instantaneous diagnostic images via a machine learning algorithm. Here, we demonstrate the utility of virtual staining in a blinded, wash-out controlled study of 16 cases of lymph node excisional biopsies, including a spectrum of diagnoses from reactive to lymphoma and compare the diagnostic performance of virtual and chemical H&Es across a range of stain quality, image quality, morphometric assessment and diagnostic interpretation parameters as well as proposed follow-up immunostains. Our results show non-inferior performance of virtual H&E stains across all parameters, including an improved stain quality pass rate (92% vs 79% for virtual vs chemical stains, respectively) and an equivalent rate of binary diagnostic concordance (90% vs 92%). More detailed adjudicated reviews of differential diagnoses and proposed IHC panels showed no major discordances. Virtual H&Es appear fit for purpose and non-inferior to chemical H&Es in diagnostic assessment of clinical lymph node samples, in a limited pilot study.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"208-211"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142288255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gianluca Mauri, Giorgio Patelli, Laura Roazzi, Emanuele Valtorta, Alessio Amatu, Giovanna Marrapese, Erica Bonazzina, Federica Tosi, Katia Bencardino, Gabriele Ciarlo, Elisa Mariella, Silvia Marsoni, Alberto Bardelli, Emanuela Bonoldi, Andrea Sartore-Bianchi, Salvatore Siena
{"title":"Clinicopathological characterisation of <i>MTAP</i> alterations in gastrointestinal cancers.","authors":"Gianluca Mauri, Giorgio Patelli, Laura Roazzi, Emanuele Valtorta, Alessio Amatu, Giovanna Marrapese, Erica Bonazzina, Federica Tosi, Katia Bencardino, Gabriele Ciarlo, Elisa Mariella, Silvia Marsoni, Alberto Bardelli, Emanuela Bonoldi, Andrea Sartore-Bianchi, Salvatore Siena","doi":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209341","DOIUrl":"10.1136/jcp-2023-209341","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) is an essential metabolic enzyme in the purine and methionine salvage pathway. In cancer, <i>MTAP</i> gene copy number loss (<i>MTAP</i> loss) confers a selective dependency on the related protein arginine methyltransferase 5. The impact of <i>MTAP</i> alterations in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remains unknown although hypothetically druggable. Here, we aim to investigate the prevalence, clinicopathological features and prognosis of <i>MTAP</i> loss GI cancers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cases with <i>MTAP</i> alterations were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and a real-world cohort of GI cancers profiled by next-generation sequencing. If <i>MTAP</i> alterations other than loss were found, immunohistochemistry was performed. Finally, we set a case-control study to assess <i>MTAP</i> loss prognostic impact.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings across the TCGA dataset (N=1363 patients) and our cohort (N=508) were consistent. Gene loss was the most common <i>MTAP</i> alteration (9.4%), mostly co-occurring with <i>CDKN2A/B</i> loss (97.7%). Biliopancreatic and gastro-oesophageal cancers had the highest prevalence of <i>MTAP</i> loss (20.5% and 12.7%, respectively), being mostly microsatellite stable (99.2%). In colorectal cancer, <i>MTAP</i> loss was rare (1.1%), while most <i>MTAP</i> alterations were mutations (5/7, 71.4%); among the latter, only <i>MTAP-CDKN2B</i> truncation led to protein loss, thus potentially actionable. <i>MTAP</i> loss did not confer worse prognosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong><i>MTAP</i> alterations are found in 5%-10% of GI cancers, most frequently biliopancreatic and gastro-oesophageal. <i>MTAP</i> loss is the most common alteration, identified almost exclusively in MSS, <i>CDKN2A/B</i> loss, upper-GI cancers. Other <i>MTAP</i> alterations were found in colorectal cancer, but unlikely to cause protein loss and drug susceptibility.</p>","PeriodicalId":15391,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Pathology","volume":" ","pages":"195-201"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11874331/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139729782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}