Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-12-21DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03980-9
John Kim Choi, Leticia Quintanilla-Martinez
{"title":"Pediatric lymphomas: overview and diagnostic challenges.","authors":"John Kim Choi, Leticia Quintanilla-Martinez","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-03980-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-03980-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Only 10% of new lymphoma diagnoses in the USA occur in children < 15 years. Although the same diagnostic criteria apply to both adult and pediatric lymphomas, there are important differences in some lymphoma subtypes. These differences are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) with the recent 2022 classification of pediatric tumors including pediatric hematopoietic tumors. Here, we review the WHO classification scheme for pediatric lymphomas and summarize the diagnostic criteria, recent genetic findings, and differences from their adult counterparts for some subtypes including those yet to be included as a definitive subtype. In general, there are differences in relatively frequency, genetic mutation, and prognosis with the pediatric counterpart often having better prognosis. Emerging B-cell lymphomas with recurrent gene alterations such as IRF4 rearrangement and 11q gain/loss chromosomal alterations will be reviewed. The overlapping pathological, clinical, and molecular features between pediatric-type follicular lymphoma (PTFL) and pediatric nodal marginal zone lymphoma (PNMZL) suggesting one disease with broad morphological spectrum will be discussed. The pathogenetic role of EBV in subclassifying Burkitt lymphoma is highlighted. The revised classification of the EBV-positive lymphoproliferative disorders in children is discussed. This review will focus on novel findings, areas of special interest, and diagnostic challenges in pediatric lymphomas.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"81-100"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11782321/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-06DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03958-7
Arnaud de la Fouchardière, María Eugenia Mazzei, María Pastor, Anna-Maria Forster, Victor G Prieto
{"title":"Spitz tumours and mimickers.","authors":"Arnaud de la Fouchardière, María Eugenia Mazzei, María Pastor, Anna-Maria Forster, Victor G Prieto","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-03958-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-03958-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Since their initial description in 1948, Spitz tumours have always been a challenge in the field of dermatopathology and paediatric pathology. Advances in molecular pathology have confirmed they are associated with specific anomalies, mainly gene fusions. They display a wide range of clinical presentations and histological subtypes. Most cases are Spitz nevi and very few lesions match the criteria to be diagnosed as atypical Spitz tumours. Even fewer are labelled as Spitz melanomas. Follow-up studies of genetically characterized cases have repeatedly confirmed that, even if the regional lymph node is involved, the overall outcome remains favourable. The aims of this review are to cover the variety of morphological presentations of Spitz tumours and illustrate the most rare subtypes. When possible, we have pointed out the potential trends between some unusual morphological features and the frequently associated genetic drivers. Spitz tumours have many differential diagnoses, the main being superficial spreading melanoma, with overlapping morphological features in early lesions. Essential clues to discriminate Spitz from mimickers have been listed and illustrated.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"143-164"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142584409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-22DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03979-2
Jessica L Davis, Edmund Cheesman
{"title":"Emerging round cell sarcomas in children.","authors":"Jessica L Davis, Edmund Cheesman","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-03979-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-03979-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Several distinctive round cell sarcomas have emerged by leveraging new testing modalities to include immunohistochemistry, next-generation sequencing, methylation array, and others. While Ewing sarcoma has led the way as the prototypic round cell sarcoma, more recently described round cell sarcomas of bone and soft tissue are now recognized which have unique clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genetic signatures. While each of these entities is less common than Ewing sarcoma, it is important to distinguish these tumors for correct diagnosis, prognostication, and potential treatment management. The focus of this review will cover CIC-rearranged sarcoma, BCOR-altered sarcomas, and EWSR1-non-ETS sarcomas to include recent developments in desmoplastic small round cell tumor as well as sarcomas with EWSR1/FUS::NFATc2 and EWSR1::PATZ1 gene fusions, highlighting the clinical, morphologic, and immunophenotypic clues to the diagnosis with recognition of each molecular diagnostic hallmark.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"117-126"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-12-18DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03961-y
Sonja Chen, Anna M Kelsey, Erin R Rudzinski
{"title":"Rhabdomyosarcoma in children and young adults.","authors":"Sonja Chen, Anna M Kelsey, Erin R Rudzinski","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-03961-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-03961-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue malignancy in childhood, accounting for 3% of all pediatric malignancies and 50% of all pediatric soft tissue sarcomas. In adolescents and young adults (AYA) however, RMS comprises only 6.5% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Historically, diagnosis and treatment of RMS was based on histologic recognition of the alveolar subtype, which was associated with a worse prognosis. Within the past 20 years, the biologic characteristics of RMS have become clearer, with canonical fusion drivers, PAX3/7::FOXO1, characterizing the alveolar subtype (ARMS) and in turn associated with poor outcome, while chromosomal gains/losses in addition to RAS pathway alterations characterize the embryonal subtype (ERMS). Accordingly, detection of a FOXO1 gene fusion has become a commonplace diagnostic and prognostic tool allowing tumors to be treated based on presence or absence of a FOXO1 gene fusion. However, these cytogenetic and molecular alterations represent only a portion of the molecular landscape found in RMS, and other alterations are found with increasing frequency in various subsets of RMS. Clinical trials basing risk stratification on the presence or absence of the canonical PAX3/7::FOXO1 fusions have had success in identifying the poor responders. Due to poor outcomes, the presence of MYOD1 and TP53 alterations which are common in spindle cell sclerosing RMS (SSRMS) and RMS with anaplasia have also been integrated into trial risk stratification. Therefore, complete histologic and immunophenotypic characterization remain important to better recognize and study these rare subsets of RMS. This article will discuss the challenges of RMS classification including how to combine morphologic, immunophenotypic and molecular data to arrive at an integrated diagnosis. The use of newer techniques such as liquid biopsy and methylation profiling, will also continue to shape the classification of RMS and may further refine risk stratification and prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"101-116"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142855335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-01-09DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-04017-x
Gino R Somers, Aurore L'Herminé-Coulomb, Andres Matoso, Maureen J O'Sullivan
{"title":"Paediatric renal tumours: an update on challenges and recent developments.","authors":"Gino R Somers, Aurore L'Herminé-Coulomb, Andres Matoso, Maureen J O'Sullivan","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-04017-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-04017-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paediatric renal tumours include a broad range of neoplasms which largely differ, but also overlap to a smaller extent, with adult kidney cancer. These include the embryonal tumour nephroblastoma, which accounts for the majority of cases of kidney cancer in the first decade of life and, despite boasting a cure in ~ 90% cases, still presents clinical challenges in a small proportion of cases. A variety of less common mesenchymal tumours, including the mostly indolent congenital mesoblastic nephroma, clear cell sarcoma of kidney which continues to be associated with poor outcomes for higher stage disease, and the typically lethal malignant rhabdoid tumour, form the bulk of the remaining presentations in the first decade. All three of these represent the intrarenal form of a wider 'family' of genetically related and histologically overlapping entities occurring in soft tissue and other anatomical locations. The latter two are examples of aggressive 'epigenetic' tumours driven by dysregulation of chromatin. In the second decade of life, renal cell carcinoma dominates, and with molecular characterisation many distinct subtypes are now described. Herein we discuss the developments in relation to diagnostic categorisation of paediatric renal cancers and how deeper understanding of the underlying biology is already providing therapeutic opportunity, while also focussing on the challenges that remain for the pathologist.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"49-64"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142955497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-01-11DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-04018-w
Laura Galluzzo Mutti, Jennifer Picarsic
{"title":"Updates on Langerhans cell histiocytosis and other histiocytosis in children: invited review-challenges and novelties in paediatric tumours.","authors":"Laura Galluzzo Mutti, Jennifer Picarsic","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-04018-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-04018-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) family lesions, and Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease (RDD) are now classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) under the heading of histiocytic/dendritic cell neoplasms. Each disease may manifest as a focal lesion, as multiple lesions, or as a widespread aggressive systemic disease with visceral organ involvement. Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare systemic disease process of adults with limited cases in children. Challenges in diagnosis and novel disease presentations, including ALK-positive histiocytosis (a newly recognized WHO entity), mixed histiocytosis, and secondary histiocytic lesions following a prior leukemia/lymphoma are also discussed. Malignant histiocytic neoplasms (MHN) are distinct high-grade histiocytosis, which while rare in childhood occur both as primary disease and as secondarily after a prior hematologic malignancy. Of note, despite its name, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is not considered a histiocytic neoplasm and does not define one specific disease \"entity.\" HLH is a spectrum of hyperinflammation with various triggers and is not covered for the purposes of this targeted review.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"189-204"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142967069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-05DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03964-9
Alyaa Al-Ibraheemi, Yan Zhou, Emma Rullo, Rita Alaggio
{"title":"What is new in fibroblastic/myofibroblastic tumors in children.","authors":"Alyaa Al-Ibraheemi, Yan Zhou, Emma Rullo, Rita Alaggio","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-03964-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-03964-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fibroblastic and myofibroblastic neoplasms represent about 12% of pediatric soft tissue tumors. Most of these neoplasms in children are either benign or locally aggressive with rare metastasis, while malignant cases are uncommon. Diagnosing these tumors is challenging due to overlapping morphologies and the limited utility of immunohistochemistry. Advances in molecular techniques, especially RNA sequencing, have improved our understanding of the molecular drivers of these tumors, leading to better classification. Key molecular alterations, such as RTK and MAPK activation, are central in the development of tumors like infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMT). The identification of alternative fusions in IFS and IMT underscores the importance of an integrated diagnostic approach. Furthermore, new RTK-driven lesions, now included in the WHO's \"NTRK-rearranged mesenchymal neoplasms\", have been identified. This review provides an update on recent findings in RTK-driven myofibroblastic tumors and highlights novel entities still in need of classification.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"127-141"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142584407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-01-21DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03985-4
Dolores López-Terrada, Jens Stahlschmidt, Antonio R Pérez-Atayde
{"title":"\"Update on pediatric primary liver tumors\".","authors":"Dolores López-Terrada, Jens Stahlschmidt, Antonio R Pérez-Atayde","doi":"10.1007/s00428-024-03985-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-024-03985-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Liver masses are common in children, however primary malignant neoplasms are rare, representing only 1% of all pediatric cancers. Hepatocellular neoplasms are the most common primary liver malignancies and hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most frequently diagnosed. The incidence of HB, which is increasing, is approximately of 2 cases per million in the United States, followed by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pediatric primary liver tumors of mesenchymal origin are less common, except for benign vascular tumors (hemangiomas). Malignant mesenchymal neoplasms represent approximately 10-15% of all, the most common being embryonal sarcoma and malignant rhabdoid tumor. Malignant vascular tumors are rare, but epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) and angiosarcoma can be seen in children. The development and adoption of consensus diagnostic, therapeutic and risk-stratifying approaches for pediatric patients with malignant liver tumors has been historically challenged by their rarity and by their diverse clinical and histological appearance. On-going collaborative efforts of international consortia including the Children's Oncology Group (COG) in North America, the German Society of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology (GPOH), the Societe Internationale d' Oncologie Pediatrique Liver Tumor Study Group (SIOPEL) in Europe and the Japanese Liver Tumor group (JPLT), have made significant contributions to understanding the clinical and histopathological features, as well as the underlying biology of pediatric liver tumors, in particular HB. A new classification of pediatric liver tumors drafted at the international consensus meeting held in Los Angeles, has been incorporated in the recent WHO classification and is currently used by the PHITT (Paediatric Hepatic Malignancy International Tumour Trial) and other therapeutic protocols. This manuscript provides an overview of salient diagnostic features and updates in classification and molecular characterization for the most common pediatric primary liver neoplasms. It also includes a brief overview of other less common but relevant tumors, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"23-47"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143012566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Virchows ArchivPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-01-23DOI: 10.1007/s00428-025-04029-1
B Schurink, M Reyes-Múgica, R R de Krijger
{"title":"Pediatric cancer predisposition syndromes involving non-central nervous system solid pediatric tumors: a review on their manifestations with a focus on histopathology.","authors":"B Schurink, M Reyes-Múgica, R R de Krijger","doi":"10.1007/s00428-025-04029-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00428-025-04029-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Germline genetic alterations and their associated cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS) are an important cause of pediatric cancer. Early recognition is of great importance for targeted surveillance, early detection, and prompt (personalized) therapeutic interventions. This review provides an overview of non-central nervous system solid pediatric tumor types, in relation to their associated CPS, with an emphasis on their histology. It serves as a guide for (pediatric) pathologists to increase their awareness of histological clues that suggest a CPS and warrant referral to the clinical geneticist.</p>","PeriodicalId":23514,"journal":{"name":"Virchows Archiv","volume":" ","pages":"3-21"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11782299/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143024713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}