Background & Aims Features of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) overlap; because they cannot be differentiated on the basis of eosinophil counts alone, it can ...be a challenge to distinguish these disorders. We aimed to characterize the clinical, endoscopic, and histologic features of EoE and GERD and to identify factors that might be used to differentiate them. Methods We performed a retrospective case-control study on data collected from 2000 to 2007. Cases were patients of any age with EoE, as defined by recent consensus guidelines; controls were patients of any age with GERD. Clinical and endoscopic data were collected, and all esophageal biopsy specimens were reassessed by gastrointestinal pathologists. Cases and controls were compared, unconditional logistic regression was performed to develop a model to predict EoE, and receiver operator characteristic curves were constructed. Results Data from 151 patients with EoE and 226 with GERD were analyzed. Compared with GERD, features that independently predicted EoE included younger age; symptoms of dysphagia; documented food allergies; observations of esophageal rings, linear furrows, white plaques, or exudates by upper endoscopy; an absence of a hiatal hernia, observed by upper endoscopy; a higher maximum eosinophil count; and the presence of eosinophil degranulation observed in biopsy specimens. The area under the curve for this model was 0.934. Conclusions We identified a set of readily available and routinely measured variables that differentiate EoE from GERD. Use of this type of analysis with patients suspected to have EoE might lead to more accurate diagnoses.
The diagnosis of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, a distinctive biphasic malignant neoplasm harboring the HEY1-NCOA2 gene fusion and consisting of primitive round to spindled cells admixed with foci of ...relatively mature hyaline cartilage, is usually straightforward by morphologic evaluation alone. However, in the setting of a limited biopsy, specimens lacking cartilage generate a broad differential diagnosis, encompassing a variety of other primitive sarcomas, including spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma. Although a small number of cases of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma with aberrant skeletal muscle marker expression have been reported, pathologists are largely unaware of this potential diagnostic pitfall. We report 6 additional cases of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma showing expression of multiple skeletal muscle markers, including one case initially misdiagnosed as “spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma” on needle biopsy. Awareness of this phenomenon and judicious application of molecular diagnostic testing for the HEY1-NCOA2 fusion are critical to avoid misclassification of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma as rhabdomyosarcoma, with potentially adverse patient impact.
•The primitive component of MCS resembles variants of rhabdomyosarcoma.•MCS may show expression of desmin, MyoD1, and myogenin.•Rhabdomyoblastic differentiation mimics spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Aims
Biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma (SNS) is a locally aggressive tumour that occurs in the sinonasal region. PAX3–MAML3 has recently been identified as a recurrent fusion gene event in this entity; ...however, a subset of tumours harbour alternative PAX3 rearrangement without the involvement of MAML3. In this study we sought to characterize the molecular profile of a large series of cases, with a special emphasis on tumours with alternative fusions.
Methods and results
Forty‐four examples of SNS were screened by fluorescence in‐situ hybridization and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to better characterize its molecular profile and identify potential novel fusion genes. Twenty‐four were positive for PAX3–MAML3 (55%), 15 showed rearrangements of PAX3 without MAML3 involvement (34%), one showed rearrangement of MAML3 without PAX3 involvement, and four were negative for the involvement of either gene (9%). Among 15 cases with PAX3 involvement only, three were found to harbour PAX3–FOXO1. Two of these cases arose in the nasal cavities of female patients (aged 31 and 47 years), and one showed bilateral involvement of the nasal cavities of a 35‐year‐old male. A fourth case involved the skull base of a 47‐year‐old male, and was positive for PAX3–NCOA1. Patients with fusion‐negative tumours were slightly older.
Conclusion
More than half of the SNSs in this series were positive for PAX3–MAML3. However, a subset of tumours may harbour alternative PAX3 fusion genes or show no involvement of PAX3. Except for a possible weak association between age and molecular profile, the overall morphological and immunophenotypic features of all cases seem to be similar. Because of the rarity of these tumours, the impact of the molecular profile on the clinical course of these tumours remains to be determined.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background Esophageal strictures resulting from eosinophilic esophagitis present management challenges, and high rates of rents and perforation have been reported. Objective To assess the safety of ...esophageal dilation in eosinophilic esophagitis and to characterize predictors of both clinical response and complications of the procedure. Design Retrospective study of the University of North Carolina eosinophilic esophagitis database. Setting Tertiary care referral center. Patients Cases of eosinophilic esophagitis were defined as per consensus guidelines. Intervention Dilation with either Savary or through-the-scope balloon techniques. Main Outcome Measurements Complications (deep mucosal rents, contained or free perforation, and chest pain requiring medical attention or hospitalization) and the global clinical symptom response. Results Of 130 eosinophilic esophagitis cases identified, 70 dilations (12 Savary, 58 balloon) were performed in 36 patients. Esophageal size improved from 12 to 16 mm ( P < .001), with an overall symptom response rate of 83%. The only predictor of clinical response was final dilation diameter. There were 5 complications (7%): 2 deep mucosal rents and 3 episodes of chest pain. There were no perforations. There was one hospitalization for chest pain. All complications occurred in patients being treated with topical steroids, who underwent balloon dilation. Complications were associated with younger age (23 vs 42; P = .02) and more dilations (4 vs 1.7; P = .009). Limitations Single center, retrospective study. Conclusions Esophageal dilation can be performed in eosinophilic esophagitis with low rates of tears, chest pain, and hospitalization. No perforations were found in our database. The effectiveness of dilation was best when a larger esophageal caliber was achieved, but patients undergoing more procedures was associated with complications.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Mast cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), but their role in diagnosis is unknown. Our aim was to determine whether tryptase staining of esophageal mast cells ...differentiates EoE from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and has utility for diagnosis of EoE.
We performed a case-control study comparing patients with EoE, defined by consensus guidelines, to GERD patients with eosinophils on esophageal biopsy. Immunohistochemistry was performed with mast cell tryptase. The density (mast cells/mm2) and intensity (0-4 scale) of mast cell staining was compared between groups after masking the diagnosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to assess mast cell staining as both a stand-alone diagnostic test and an adjunctive assay with eosinophil counts.
Fifty-four EoE (mean age 24 years; 69% male; mean 146 eosinophils per high-power field (eos/hpf)) and 55 GERD (mean age 34 years; 60% male; mean 20 eos/hpf) patients were analyzed. The maximum epithelial tryptase density was higher in EoE than in GERD (162±87 mast cells/mm2 vs. 67±54; P<0.001). Mast cells were diffusely distributed throughout the biopsy in more EoE than GERD patients (41 vs. 7%; P<0.001). Tryptase density and eosinophil count were only weakly correlated (R2=0.09; P=0.002). The AUC was 0.84 for tryptase staining alone, and 0.96 for the combination of mast cells and eosinophils.
Patients with EoE have higher levels of tryptase-positive mast cells compared with GERD patients, improving the diagnostic value of biopsies beyond eosinophil counts alone. Mast cell tryptase may have utility as a diagnostic assay for EoE.
Genital soft tissue tumors Schoolmeester, John K.; Fritchie, Karen J.
Journal of cutaneous pathology,
July 2015, Volume:
42, Issue:
7
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Mesenchymal neoplasms of the vulvovaginal and inguinoscrotal regions are among the most diagnostically challenging specimens in the pathology laboratory owing largely to their unique intersection ...between general soft tissue tumors and relatively genital‐specific mesenchymal tumors. Genital stromal tumors are a unique subset of soft tissue tumors encountered at this location, and this group includes fibroepithelial stromal polyp, superficial (cervicovaginal) myofibroblastoma, cellular angiofibroma, mammary‐type myofibroblastoma, angiomyofibroblastoma and aggressive angiomyxoma. Aside from the striking morphologic and immunophenotypic similarity that is seen with these entities, there is evidence that a subset of genital stromal tumors may be linked genetically. This review will focus on simplifying this group of tumors and provide the pathologist or dermatopathologist with practical management information. Smooth muscle tumors of the external genitalia will also be discussed.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, biologically aggressive soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain differentiation, most often arising in the abdominal and pelvic cavities of ...adolescents and young adults with a striking male predominance. Histologically, it is characterized by islands of uniform small round cells in prominent desmoplastic stroma, and it has a polyimmunophenotypic profile, typically expressing WT1 and cytokeratin, desmin, and neural/neuroendocrine differentiation markers to varying degrees. Tumors at other sites and with variant morphology are more rarely described. DSRCT is associated with a recurrent t(11;22)(p13;q12) translocation, leading to the characteristic
EWSR1-WT1
gene fusion. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), to detect
EWSR1
rearrangement, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assess for
EWSR1-WT1
fusion transcripts are routine diagnostic ancillary tools. We present a large institutional comparative series of FISH and RT-PCR for DSRCT diagnosis. Twenty-six specimens (from 25 patients) histologically diagnosed as DSRCT were assessed for
EWSR1
rearrangement and
EWSR1-WT1
fusion transcripts. Of these 26 specimens, 24 yielded positive results with either FISH or RT-PCR or both. FISH was performed in 23 samples, with
EWSR1
rearrangement seen in 21 (91.3%). RT-PCR was performed in 18 samples, of which 13 (72.2%) harbored
EWSR1-WT1
fusion transcripts. The sensitivity of FISH in detecting DSRCT was 91.3%, and that of RT-PCR was 92.8% following omission of four technical failures. Therefore, both methods are comparable in terms of sensitivity. FISH is more sensitive if technical failures for RT-PCR are taken into account, and RT-PCR is more specific in confirming DSRCT. Both methods complement each other by confirming cases that the other method may not. In isolation, FISH is a relatively non-specific diagnostic adjunct due to the number of different neoplasms that can harbor
EWSR1
rearrangement, such as Ewing sarcoma. However, in cases with appropriate morphology and a typical pattern of immunostaining, FISH is confirmatory of the diagnosis.
Summary Myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (MIFS) is a rare low-grade sarcoma that most often involves the distal extremities of adults. Some MIFSs have been reported to show TGFBR3 and MGEA5 ...rearrangements. TGFBR3 and MGEA5 rearrangements have also been reported in hemosiderotic fibrolipomatous tumor (HFLT), in pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor (PHAT), and in rare tumors allegedly showing features of both HFLT and MIFS (hybrid HFLT-MIFS). These findings have led to speculation that HFLT, MIFS, PHAT, and hybrid HFLT-MIFS are closely related; however, areas resembling HFLTs are only very rarely encountered in previous series of MIFSs. We studied classic examples of these tumors with the goal of clarifying the relationship between MIFS and HFLT-MIFS. Cases of MIFS (n = 31), hybrid HFLT-MIFS (n = 8), PHAT (n = 2), HFLT (n = 1), and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (n = 4) were retrieved from our archives, and the diagnoses were verified by 5 soft tissue pathologists. Using previously validated break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization probes, we analyzed for TGFBR3 and MGEA5 rearrangements. Only 2 of 31 MIFSs harbored MGEA5 rearrangements; all lacked TGFBR3 rearrangements. Six of 8 hybrid HFLT-MIFSs harbored rearrangements of TGFBR3 and/or MGEA5 . Both PHATs were positive for rearrangements of TGFBR3 and/or MGEA5 . The HFLT was positive for rearrangements of both TGFBR3 and MGEA5 . All undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas with focal myxoid change were negative. We conclude that (1) TGFBR3 and/or MGEA5 rearrangements are much more common in hybrid HFLT-MIFSs than in classic MIFSs, (2) HFLTs and MIFSs may be unrelated lesions, and (3) hybrid HFLT-MIFSs most likely represent HFLTs with sarcomatous progression, rather than tumors strictly related to classic MIFSs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
9.
Activating GNAS Mutations in Parosteal Osteosarcoma Carter, Jodi M.; Inwards, Carrie Y.; Jin, Long ...
The American journal of surgical pathology,
2014-March, 2014-Mar, 2014-03-00, 20140301, Volume:
38, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Parosteal osteosarcoma is a surface-based osteosarcoma that often exhibits deceptively bland cytologic features, hindering diagnosis in small biopsies or when correlative radiologic imaging is not ...readily available. A number of benign and malignant fibro-osseous lesions, including fibrous dysplasia (FD) and low-grade central osteosarcoma, fall within the morphologic differential diagnosis of parosteal osteosarcoma. Somatic mutations in GNAS, encoding the α-subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein complex (Gsα), occur in FD and McCune-Albright syndrome but have not been reported in parosteal osteosarcoma. We evaluated GNAS mutational status in parosteal osteosarcoma and several of its histologic mimics to determine its utility in differentiating these entities. Eleven of 14 (79%) FD cases had GNAS mutations within codon 201 (5 R201C and 6 R201H mutations). GNAS mutations were not detected in any cases of adamantinoma or osteofibrous dysplasia. Direct sequencing of 9 parosteal osteosarcomas, including 3 of low grade and 6 with dedifferentiation, revealed activating GNAS mutations in 5 cases (55%), distributed as 4 R201C-mutated tumors and 1 tumor with an R201H mutation. GNAS codon 227 mutations were not detected in any of the cases. There was no association between GNAS mutational status and patient demographics, histologic dedifferentiation, or clinical outcome. To our knowledge, we report the first series of parosteal osteosarcomas harboring activating GNAS mutations. Our data suggest that GNAS mutational status may have limited utility as an ancillary technique in differentiating benign and malignant fibro-osseous lesions of the bone.
Abstract
Objectives
Most giant cell tumors of bone (GCTs) occur in patients aged 20 to 40 years. We analyzed features of GCT in patients 55 years or older.
Methods
GCTs were examined for fibrosis, ...matrix, cystic change, histiocytes, mitoses, and necrosis. Clinical/radiologic data were collected.
Results
Thirty-four (5%) of 710 GCTs occurred in patients older than 55 years (14/20 male/female; 56-83 years) in long bones (n = 24), vertebrae (n = 6), pelvis (n = 3), and metacarpal (n = 1). Imaging was classic in 26 of 27 cases; one case appeared malignant. Morphologic patterns included fibrosis (n = 29), bone formation (n = 19), cystic change (n = 8), necrosis (n = 8), foamy histiocytes (n = 7), and secondary aneurysmal bone cyst formation (n = 1). Mitoses ranged from 0 to 18 per 10 high-power fields. Six recurred; one patient developed metastasis. Four of five cases harbored H3F3A mutations.
Conclusions
GCTs in patients 55 years or older share pathologic characteristics with those arising in younger adults. Fibrosis and reactive bone are common, potentially leading to diagnostic confusion in this population. No histologic features correlate with adverse outcome.
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