Kristiansen G (2012) Histopathology 60, 125–141
Diagnostic and prognostic molecular biomarkers for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumour in men and is a major research ...focus of pathologists, urologists and uro‐oncologists alike. The pathologist is confronted with an increasing number of biospsies, necessitating ancillary tests in morphologically challenging cases. Next to basal cell markers, additional positive markers that aid in the differential diagnosis are presented here. The clinical decision of urologists, whom and how to treat these men, is dependent predominantly on pathological parameters, but still the grid spanned by these is too wide to allow a sufficient prognostication of the individual case. Here, a brief and critical overview is given of recent developments of prognostic biomarkers in prostate cancer.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate is most commonly associated with high-grade invasive prostate cancer. However, isolated IDC-P without adjacent cancer or high-grade cancer is also well known. ...Common genetic alterations present in IDC-P with adjacent high-grade prostate cancer are those described in high-grade tumors, such as PTEN loss (69-84%). In addition, the rate of LOH involving
and
is significantly higher. IDC-P is common in the TCGA molecular subset of
mutant cancers, and the presence of
mutations are more likely in IDC-P bearing tumors. IDC-P without adjacent high-grade cancers are by far less common. They are less likely to have PTEN loss (47%) and rarely harbor an ERG fusion (7%). Molecular alterations that may predispose a person to the development of IDC-P include the loss of
and
as well as mutations in
. However, the causative nature of these genetic alterations is yet to be validated.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
An increasing volume of prostate biopsies and a worldwide shortage of urological pathologists puts a strain on pathology departments. Additionally, the high intra-observer and inter-observer ...variability in grading can result in overtreatment and undertreatment of prostate cancer. To alleviate these problems, we aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system with clinically acceptable accuracy for prostate cancer detection, localisation, and Gleason grading.
We digitised 6682 slides from needle core biopsies from 976 randomly selected participants aged 50–69 in the Swedish prospective and population-based STHLM3 diagnostic study done between May 28, 2012, and Dec 30, 2014 (ISRCTN84445406), and another 271 from 93 men from outside the study. The resulting images were used to train deep neural networks for assessment of prostate biopsies. The networks were evaluated by predicting the presence, extent, and Gleason grade of malignant tissue for an independent test dataset comprising 1631 biopsies from 246 men from STHLM3 and an external validation dataset of 330 biopsies from 73 men. We also evaluated grading performance on 87 biopsies individually graded by 23 experienced urological pathologists from the International Society of Urological Pathology. We assessed discriminatory performance by receiver operating characteristics and tumour extent predictions by correlating predicted cancer length against measurements by the reporting pathologist. We quantified the concordance between grades assigned by the AI system and the expert urological pathologists using Cohen's kappa.
The AI achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0·997 (95% CI 0·994–0·999) for distinguishing between benign (n=910) and malignant (n=721) biopsy cores on the independent test dataset and 0·986 (0·972–0·996) on the external validation dataset (benign n=108, malignant n=222). The correlation between cancer length predicted by the AI and assigned by the reporting pathologist was 0·96 (95% CI 0·95–0·97) for the independent test dataset and 0·87 (0·84–0·90) for the external validation dataset. For assigning Gleason grades, the AI achieved a mean pairwise kappa of 0·62, which was within the range of the corresponding values for the expert pathologists (0·60–0·73).
An AI system can be trained to detect and grade cancer in prostate needle biopsy samples at a ranking comparable to that of international experts in prostate pathology. Clinical application could reduce pathology workload by reducing the assessment of benign biopsies and by automating the task of measuring cancer length in positive biopsy cores. An AI system with expert-level grading performance might contribute a second opinion, aid in standardising grading, and provide pathology expertise in parts of the world where it does not exist.
Swedish Research Council, Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish eScience Research Center, EIT Health.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Five years after the last prostatic carcinoma grading consensus conference of the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP), accrual of new data and modification of clinical practice ...require an update of current pathologic grading guidelines. This manuscript summarizes the proceedings of the ISUP consensus meeting for grading of prostatic carcinoma held in September 2019, in Nice, France. Topics brought to consensus included the following(1) approaches to reporting of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 quantities, and minor/tertiary patterns, (2) an agreement to report the presence of invasive cribriform carcinoma, (3) an agreement to incorporate intraductal carcinoma into grading, and (4) individual versus aggregate grading of systematic and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging–targeted biopsies. Finally, developments in the field of artificial intelligence in the grading of prostatic carcinoma and future research perspectives were discussed.
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION
Do extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invade non-arterial decidual vessels in healthy and pathological pregnancies?
SUMMARY ANSWER
Our results reveal that trophoblast invasion ...of venous and lymphatic vessels is a frequent event during the first trimester of pregnancy and is compromised in recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). In addition, the present data suggest that EVTs populate regional lymph nodes during pregnancy.
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN
Human trophoblasts remodel and invade decidual spiral arteries. In addition, a recent report demonstrates that trophoblasts contact and invade decidual veins.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
Tissue samples of human first trimester deciduae basalis (n = 54, 6th–13th weeks of gestation) obtained from elective pregnancy terminations were used to study trophoblast invasion into veins and lymphatics, in comparison to arteries. Age-matched cases of idiopathic, recurrent spontaneous abortions tissue samples (n = 23) were assessed for cell numbers of EVTs in these decidual vessels. In addition, lymph nodes of four pregnant women were analysed for the presence of EVTs.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
Localization, frequency and EVT-mediated targeting and invasion of arterial, venous as well as lymphatic vessels were determined in first trimester decidua basalis tissue sections using immunofluorescence staining with antibodies against CD31, CD34, ephrin B2 (EFNB2), ephrin receptor B4 (EPHB4), HLA-G, podoplanin, prospero-related homeobox 1 (Prox-1), alpha-smooth muscle actin 2 (ATCTA2), von willebrand factor (vWF) and proteoglycan 2 (PRG2). Arterial, venous and lymphatic-associated EVTs were further characterized according to their position in the vascular structure and classified as intramural (im) or intraluminal (il).
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
EVTs, specifically expressing PRG2, target and invade veins and lymphatics in first trimester decidua basalis since HLA-G+ trophoblast were detected in the vascular wall (intramural EVT, imEVTs) and in the lumen of these vessels (intraluminal EVT, ilEVTs). In total, 276 arteries, 793 veins and 113 lymphatics were analysed. While EVTs contact and invade arteries and veins to a similar extent we found that lymphatics are significantly less affected by EVTs (P = 0.001). Moreover, ilEVTs were detected in the lumen of venous and lymphatic vessels, whereas ilEVTs were only found occasionally in the lumen of arteries. Interestingly, RSA tissue sections contained significantly more arterial (P = 0.037), venous (P = 0.002) and lymphatic vessels (P < 0.001), compared to healthy controls. However, while RSA-associated arterial remodeling was unchanged (P = 0.39) the ratios of EVT-affected versus total number of veins (P = 0.039) and lymphatics (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in RSA compared to age-matched healthy decidual sections. Finally, HLA-G+/PRG2+/CD45-EVTs can be detected in regional lymph nodes of pregnant women diagnosed with cervical cancer.
LARGE SCALE DATA
N/A.
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
In this study, first trimester decidual tissues from elective terminations of pregnancies have been examined and used as a reference for healthy pregnancy. However, this collective may also include pregnancies which would have developed placental disorders later in gestation. Due to limitations in tissue availability our staining results for EVT-specific marker expression in regional lymph nodes of pregnant women are based on four cases only.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
In this study, we propose migration of HLA-G+ cells into regional lymph nodes during pregnancy suggesting that the human EVT is capable of infiltrating maternal tissues via the blood stream. Moreover, the description of compromised EVT invasion into the venous and lymphatic vasculature in RSA may help to better understand the pathological characteristics of idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
This study was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (grant P-25187-B13 to J.P. and grant P-28417-B30 to M.K.). There are no competing interests to declare.
The potent tumoricidal activity of interleukin 12 (IL-12) is thought to be mediated by the activation and polarization of natural killer (NK) cells and T helper type 1 (T(H)1) cells, respectively. By ...systematic analysis of the IL-12-induced immune response to subcutaneous melanoma (B16), we found that tumor suppression was mediated independently of T lymphocytes or NK cells. IL-12 initiated local antitumor immunity by stimulating a subset of NKp46(+) lymphoid tissue-inducer (LTi) cells dependent on the transcription factor RORγt. The presence of these NKp46(+) LTi cells induced upregulation of adhesion molecules in the tumor vasculature and resulted in more leukocyte invasion. Thus, this innate cell type is responsive to IL-12 and is a powerful mediator of tumor suppression.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of this review is to describe the characteristics of patient cohorts commonly used for translational biomarker research in prostate cancer and to outline the most prominent contemporary ...cohorts which serve as a source of prognostic and predictive biomarkers. A non‐systematic review of the literature was performed to identify and summarise well‐characterized translational prostate cancer cohorts that provide state‐of‐the‐art characterization of (i) primary and (ii) metastatic and castration‐resistant prostate cancer. The main advantages and features of these cohorts are a substantial number of patients, unique patient groups, comprehensive genetic characterisation of tumours using multi‐omics/next‐generation sequencing approaches, high‐quality control standards and fully or partially open data for the research community. This overview includes the contemporary cohorts which serve as a rich source of new targets for prognostic and predictive biomarkers as well as a reference database for validation of known biomarkers, therefore representing the cohorts whose impact extends over the current state of biomarker research into the near future (5–10 years).
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aimed to investigate the microRNA (miRNA) profile in prostate carcinoma tissue by microarray analysis and RT‐qPCR, to clarify associations of miRNA expression with clinicopathologic data ...and to evaluate the potential of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers. Matched tumor and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from 76 radical prostatectomy specimens. Twenty‐four tissue pairs were analyzed using human miRNA microarrays for 470 human miRNAs. Differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by TaqMan RT‐qPCR using all 76 tissue pairs. The diagnostic potential of miRNAs was calculated by receiver operating characteristics analyses. The prognostic value was assessed in terms of biochemical recurrence using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses. Fifteen differentially expressed miRNAs were identified with concordant fold‐changes by microarray and RT‐qPCR analyses. Ten microRNAs (hsa‐miR‐16, hsa‐miR‐31, hsa‐miR‐125b, hsa‐miR‐145, hsa‐miR‐149, hsa‐miR‐181b, hsa‐miR‐184, hsa‐miR‐205, hsa‐miR‐221, hsa‐miR‐222) were downregulated and 5 miRNAs (hsa‐miR‐96, hsa‐miR‐182, hsa‐miR‐182*, hsa‐miR‐183, hsa‐375) were upregulated. Expression of 5 miRNAs correlated with Gleason score or pathological tumor stage. Already 2 microRNAs classified up to 84% of malignant and nonmalignant samples correctly. Expression of hsa‐miR‐96 was associated with cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy and that prognostic information was confirmed by an independent tumor sample set from 79 patients. That was shown with hsa‐miR‐96 and the Gleason score as final variables in the Cox models build in the 2 patient sets investigated. Thus, differential miRNAs in prostate cancer are useful diagnostic and prognostic indicators. This study provides a solid basis for further functional analyses of miRNAs in prostate cancer.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate gland (IDCP), which is now categorised as a distinct entity by WHO 2016, includes two biologically distinct diseases. IDCP associated with invasive carcinoma ...(IDCP-inv) generally represents a growth pattern of invasive prostatic adenocarcinoma while the rarely encountered pure IDCP is a precursor of prostate cancer. This review highlights issues that require further discussion and clarification. The diagnostic criterion “nuclear size at least 6 times normal” is ambiguous as “size” could refer to either nuclear area or diameter. If area, then this criterion could be re-defined as nuclear diameter at least three times normal as it is difficult to visually compare area of nuclei. It is also unclear whether IDCP could also include tumours with ductal morphology. There is no consensus whether pure IDCP in needle biopsies should be managed with re-biopsy or radical therapy. A pragmatic approach would be to recommend radical therapy only for extensive pure IDCP that is morphologically unequivocal for high-grade prostate cancer. Active surveillance is not appropriate when low-grade invasive cancer is associated with IDCP, as such patients usually have unsampled high-grade prostatic adenocarcinoma. It is generally recommended that IDCP component of IDCP-inv should be included in tumour extent but not grade. However, there are good arguments in favour of grading IDCP associated with invasive cancer. All historical as well as contemporary Gleason outcome data are based on morphology and would have included an associated IDCP component in the tumour grade. WHO 2016 recommends that IDCP should not be graded, but it is unclear whether this applies to both pure IDCP and IDCP-inv.
Aims
Despite increasing interest in the recently established immunoglobulin 4‐related disease (IgG4‐RD), its pathogenesis and aetiology remain largely unclear. Characteristic histopathological ...features are one of the key elements of diagnosis, including ‘storiform’ fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, increased lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and increased levels of IgG4 in serum and tissue. Histopathological features of IgG4‐RD are striking but not specific, and can pose a pitfall for surgical pathologists. This paper aims to determine the actual amount of IgG4+ plasma cells in nodular‐sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL) and its potential to be misdiagnosed in routine clinical practice.
Methods and results
IgG4+ plasma cells per high‐power field (HPF) and the ratio of IgG4+ versus IgG+ plasma cells (IgG4/IgG ratio) in lymph node biopsies of 24 patients with nodular‐sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL) were determined using immunohistochemistry and consensus scoring criteria as used for IgG4‐RD. Ten lymph node biopsies with reactive follicular hyperplasia were assessed for comparison. Higher numbers of IgG4+ plasma cells (P < 0.001) were observed in NSHL versus follicular hyperplasia (mean 34 versus 8 per HPF) with a mean IgG4/IgG ratio of 0.38 versus 0.18. Five cases (21%) fulfilled the consensus criteria of IgG4‐RD, with >50 IgG4+ plasma cells per HPF and an IgG4/IgG ratio of >0.4. The mean count of IgG4+ plasma cells per HPF in NSHL varied greatly (3–88) with increased numbers of IgG4+ plasma cells seen near areas of fibrosclerosis.
Conclusions
Significantly higher levels of IgG4+ plasma cells are common in NSHL, emphasising the need to exclude Reed–Sternberg cells by morphology and immunohistochemistry in biopsies where IgG4‐RD is suspected.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK