Aims
Accurate classification of salivary gland neoplasms may be challenging, owing to morphological overlap, particularly in small biopsies. Recurrent translocations involving the high‐mobility group ...AT‐hook 2 (HMGA2) gene are present in a subset of pleomorphic adenomas (PAs) and carcinoma ex‐pleomorphic adenomas (CA ex‐PAs). The aim of this study was to evaluate immunohistochemical HMGA2 expression in 225 salivary gland tumours, including 56 PAs, 37 CA ex‐PAs, and 132 potential histological mimics, to determine its diagnostic utility.
Methods and results
HMGA2 expression was identified in 19 PAs (33.9%) and nine CA ex‐PAs (24.3%). Expression was strong and diffuse throughout all PAs, and in four of nine positive CA ex‐PAs. In five CA ex‐PAs, HMGA2 showed weak‐to‐strong multifocal staining within the carcinomatous component, and strong diffuse HMGA2 expression in the residual PA. Among histological mimics, six de‐novo salivary duct carcinomas (28.5%), three epithelial–myoepithelial carcinomas (33.3%) and one case each of myoepithelioma and basal cell adenoma expressed HMGA2. Fluorescence in‐situ hybridization for HMGA2 rearrangement performed on a subset of tumours that showed diffuse HMGA2 expression in PAs and CA ex‐PAs was frequently associated with rearrangement of the HMGA2 locus, whereas cases of de‐novo salivary duct carcinoma, or CA ex‐PA with limited or no HMGA2 expression, had an intact HMGA2 locus.
Conclusions
HMGA2 expression is a highly specific (96.2%), but low‐sensitivity (29.8%), marker for PA and CA ex‐PA when compared with histological mimics, and is frequently associated with rearrangement of the HMGA2 locus.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The spectrum of tumors arising in the salivary glands is wide and has recently been shown to harbor a network of tumor-specific fusion genes. Acinic cell carcinoma (AciCC) is one of the more ...frequently encountered types of salivary gland carcinoma, but it has remained a genetic orphan until recently when a fusion between the HTN3 and MSANTD3 genes was described in one case. Neither of these 2 genes is known to be implicated in any other malignancy. This study was undertaken to investigate whether the HTN3-MSANTD3 fusion is a recurrent genetic event in AciCC and whether it is a characteristic of one of its histological variants. Of the 273 AciCCs screened, 9 cases showed rearrangement of MSANTD3 by break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization, 2 had 1 to 2 extra signals, and 1 had gain, giving a total of 4.4% with MSANTD3 aberrations. In 6 of 7 available cases with MSANTD3 rearrangement, the HTN3-MSANTD3 fusion transcript was demonstrated with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Histologically, all fusion-positive cases were predominantly composed of serous tumor cells growing in solid sheets, with serous tumor cells expressing DOG-1 and the intercalated duct-like cell component being CK7 positive and S-100 positive in 6/9 cases. All but one case arose in the parotid gland, and none of the patients experienced a recurrence during follow-up. In contrast, the case with MSANTD3 gain metastasized to the cervical lymph nodes and lungs. In conclusion, we find the HTN3-MSANTD3 gene fusion to be a recurrent event in AciCC with prominent serous differentiation and an indolent clinical course.
Background
The eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging manual (AJCC8) added depth of invasion to the definition of pathologic T stage (pT). In the current study, the authors ...assess pT stage migration and the prognostic performance of the updated pT stage and compare it with other clinicopathologic variables in patients with early squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (OTSCC; tumors measuring ≤4 cm) with histologically benign lymph nodes (pN0).
Methods
A multi‐institutional cohort of patients with early OTSCC was restaged as per AJCC8. Primary endpoints were local recurrence (LR) and locoregional recurrence (LRR). Influential variables were identified and an LR/LRR prediction model was developed.
Results
There were a total of 494 patients, with 49 LR and 73 LRR. AJCC8 pT criteria resulted in upstaging of 37.9% of patients (187 of 494 patients), including 34.5% (64 of 185 patients) from pT2 to pT3, without improving the prognostication for LR or LRR. Both LR and LRR were found to be similar for patients with AJCC8 pT2 and pT3 disease. On multivariate analysis, LR was only found to be associated with distance to the closest margin (hazard ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20‐0.64 P = .0007) and perineural invasion (hazard ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.10‐0.64 P = .046). Based on these 2 predictors, a final proportional hazards regression model (which may be used similar to a nomogram) was developed. The proposed model appeared to be superior to AJCC pT stage for estimating the probability of LR and LRR for individual patients with early OTSCC.
Conclusions
AJCC8 pT criteria resulted in pT upstaging of patients with pN0 disease without improved LR or LRR prognostication. The proposed model based on distance to the closest margin and perineural invasion, status outperformed pT as a predictor of LR and LRR in patients with early OTSCC.
In this study, pT criteria based on the eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer result in pT upstaging of patients with pN0 disease without improved prognostication of local control. The model, based on distance to the closest margin and perineural invasion, is noted to outperform pT as a predictor of local control in patients with early carcinoma of the oral tongue.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Approximately 20% of fine-needle aspirations (FNA) of thyroid nodules have indeterminate cytology, most frequently Bethesda category III or IV. Diagnostic surgeries can be avoided for these patients ...if the nodules are reliably diagnosed as benign without surgery.
To determine the diagnostic accuracy of a multigene classifier (GC) test (ThyroSeq v3) for cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules.
Prospective, blinded cohort study conducted at 10 medical centers, with 782 patients with 1013 nodules enrolled. Eligibility criteria were met in 256 patients with 286 nodules; central pathology review was performed on 274 nodules.
A total of 286 FNA samples from thyroid nodules underwent molecular analysis using the multigene GC (ThyroSeq v3).
The primary outcome was diagnostic accuracy of the test for thyroid nodules with Bethesda III and IV cytology. The secondary outcome was prediction of cancer by specific genetic alterations in Bethesda III to V nodules.
Of the 286 cytologically indeterminate nodules, 206 (72%) were benign, 69 (24%) malignant, and 11 (4%) noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclei (NIFTP). A total of 257 (90%) nodules (154 Bethesda III, 93 Bethesda IV, and 10 Bethesda V) had informative GC analysis, with 61% classified as negative and 39% as positive. In Bethesda III and IV nodules combined, the test demonstrated a 94% (95% CI, 86%-98%) sensitivity and 82% (95% CI, 75%-87%) specificity. With a cancer/NIFTP prevalence of 28%, the negative predictive value (NPV) was 97% (95% CI, 93%-99%) and the positive predictive value (PPV) was 66% (95% CI, 56%-75%). The observed 3% false-negative rate was similar to that of benign cytology, and the missed cancers were all low-risk tumors. Among nodules testing positive, specific groups of genetic alterations had cancer probabilities varying from 59% to 100%.
In this prospective, blinded, multicenter study, the multigene GC test demonstrated a high sensitivity/NPV and reasonably high specificity/PPV, which may obviate diagnostic surgery in up to 61% of patients with Bethesda III to IV indeterminate nodules, and up to 82% of all benign nodules with indeterminate cytology. Information on specific genetic alterations obtained from FNA may help inform individualized treatment of patients with a positive test result.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive head and neck cancer characterized by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and dense lymphocyte infiltration. The scarcity of NPC genomic data hinders ...the understanding of NPC biology, disease progression and rational therapy design. Here we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 111 micro-dissected EBV-positive NPCs, with 15 cases subjected to further whole-genome sequencing (WGS), to determine its mutational landscape. We identified enrichment for genomic aberrations of multiple negative regulators of the NF-κB pathway, including CYLD, TRAF3, NFKBIA and NLRC5, in a total of 41% of cases. Functional analysis confirmed inactivating CYLD mutations as drivers for NPC cell growth. The EBV oncoprotein latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) functions to constitutively activate NF-κB signalling, and we observed mutual exclusivity among tumours with somatic NF-κB pathway aberrations and LMP1-overexpression, suggesting that NF-κB activation is selected for by both somatic and viral events during NPC pathogenesis.
Background
Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) is diagnostically challenging on fine‐needle aspiration because it can mimic several other neoplasms or even normal acinar tissue. Immunopositivity for DOG1, ...especially circumferential membranous staining, can support the diagnosis of AcCC but is not entirely specific, and it is prone to technical and interpretive challenges on small specimens. NR4A3 (nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3) translocation and nuclear NR4A3 overexpression were recently described in the majority of AcCCs. Here, the authors evaluate the performance of NR4A3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and NR4A3 break‐apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on cell block preparations and compare them with DOG1 IHC in distinguishing AcCC from other entities in the differential diagnosis.
Methods
The authors identified 34 cytology cell blocks with lesional cells, including 11 specimens of AcCC (2 of which derived from 1 patient and showed high‐grade transformation) as well as 2 secretory carcinomas, 7 salivary duct carcinomas, 4 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, 3 oncocytomas, 3 renal cell carcinomas, and 6 specimens containing nonneoplastic salivary gland tissue. NR4A3 IHC, DOG1 IHC, and NR4A3 FISH were attempted for all cases.
Results
NR4A3 IHC had 81.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity for AcCC, whereas NR4A3 FISH had 36.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity, although 4 cases (3 mucoepidermoid carcinomas and 1 salivary gland tissue sample) could not be analyzed because of low cellularity. Notably, no normal acinar tissue specimens showed NR4A3 positivity by IHC or FISH. In addition, DOG1 IHC had 72.7% sensitivity and 92% specificity.
Conclusions
NR4A3 IHC is highly specific for the diagnosis of AcCC and is more sensitive than DOG1 IHC and NR4A3 FISH. In addition, NR4A3 IHC performance is not improved by the inclusion of DOG1 IHC. Finally, NR4A3 positivity resolves the perennial problem of distinguishing AcCC from normal acinar tissue.
Nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3 (NR4A3) immunohistochemistry (IHC) is sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of acinic cell carcinoma in cytology cell block preparations, with better performance than DOG1 IHC. NR4A3 fluorescence in situ hybridization is also specific for acinic cell carcinoma but is less useful with limited tissue and is less sensitive than NR4A3 IHC.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
While P16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a well-established surrogate marker of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), Retinoblastoma 1 (RB1) loss may lead to p16 ...overexpression in the absence of HPV. We determined the proportion of p16-positive/HPV-negative OSCC with RB1 loss and other alterations in RB1/p16 pathway, and tested RB1 IHC as a prognostic biomarker for OSCC, along with the 8th edition of AJCC staging manual. P16 and RB1 IHC and HPV DNA in situ hybridization (ISH) were performed on 257 OSCC. High risk HPV RNA ISH,
RB1
fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and next generation sequencing (NGS) were done on p16-positive/HPV DNA ISH-negative OSCC. Disease free survival (DFS) was used as an endpoint. In the entire cohort and in p16-positive (
n
= 184) and p16-negative (
n
= 73) subgroups, AJCC 8th edition staging correlated with DFS (
p
< 0.01). RB1 IHC showed RB1 loss in p16-positive OSCC only (79/184, 43%). RB1 loss by IHC is associated with a better DFS, without providing additional prognostic information for patients with p16-positive OSCC. HPV RNA ISH was positive in 12 of 14 HPV DNA ISH-negative cases. RB1 IHC showed loss in 10 of 15 HPV DNA ISH-negative cases and in 1 of 2 HPV RNA ISH-negative cases. Overall, only one case of p16-positive/HPV RNA ISH-negative OSCC showed RB1 loss by IHC (1/184, 0.5%). Of the 10 p16-positive and HPV DNA ISH-negative cases with RB1 loss by IHC, 2 had
RB1
hemizygous deletion and 3 showed Chromosome 13 monosomy by FISH. No
RB1
mutations were detected by NGS. Other molecular alterations in p16-positive/HPV DNA ISH-negative cases included
TP53
and
TERT
mutations and
DDX3X
loss. HPV-independent RB1 inactivation rarely results in false positive p16 IHC. RB1 inactivation by high risk HPV E7 oncoprotein may co-exist with
RB1
deletion. RB1 loss is a favorable prognosticator and occurs exclusively in p16-positive OSCC. The 8th edition of the AJCC staging manual satisfactorily predicts DFS of OSCC patients.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ