Distinct profiles of proliferating CD8+/TCF1+ T cells and CD163+/PD-L1+ macrophages predict risk of relapse differently among treatment-naïve breast cancer subtypes.

Immunophenotypic analysis of breast cancer microenvironment is gaining attraction as a clinical tool improving breast cancer patient stratification. The aim of this study is to evaluate proliferating CD8 + including CD8 + TCF1 + Τ cells along with PD-L1 expressing tissue-associated macrophages among different breast cancer subtypes. A well-characterized cohort of 791 treatment-naïve breast cancer patients was included. The analysis demonstrated a distinct expression pattern among breast cancer subtypes characterized by increased CD8 + , CD163 + and CD163 + PD-L1 + cells along with high PD-L1 status and decreased fraction of CD8 + Ki67 + T cells in triple negative (TNBC) and HER2 + compared to luminal tumors. Kaplan-Meier and Cox univariate survival analysis revealed that breast cancer patients with high CD8 + , CD8 + Ki67 + , CD8 + TCF1 + cells, PD-L1 score and CD163 + PD-L1 + cells are likely to have a prolonged relapse free survival, while patients with high CD163 + cells have a worse prognosis. A differential impact of high CD8 + , CD8 + Ki67 + , CD8 + TCF1 + T cells, CD163 + PD-L1 + macrophages and PD-L1 status on prognosis was identified among the various breast cancer subtypes since only TNBC patients experience an improved prognosis compared to patients with luminal A tumors. Conversely, high infiltration by CD163 + cells is associated with worse prognosis only in patients with luminal A but not in TNBC tumors. Multivariate Cox regression analysis in TNBC patients revealed that increased CD8 + [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.542; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.309-0.950; p = 0.032), CD8 + TCF1 + (HR = 0.280; 95% CI 0.101-0.779; p = 0.015), CD163 + PD-L1 + (HR: 0.312; 95% CI 0.112-0.870; p = 0.026) cells along with PD-L1 status employing two different scoring methods (HR: 0.362; 95% CI 0.162-0.812; p = 0.014 and HR: 0.395; 95% CI 0.176-0.884; p = 0.024) were independently linked with a lower relapse rate. Multivariate analysis in Luminal type A patients revealed that increased CD163 + was independently associated with a higher relapse rate (HR = 2.360; 95% CI 1.077-5.170; p = 0.032). This study demonstrates that the evaluation of the functional status of CD8 + T cells in combination with the analysis of immunosuppressive elements could provide clinically relevant information in different breast cancer subtypes.

The International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies.

This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of The International System (TIS) for reporting serous fluid cytopathology. Our aims were to present the pooled malignancy rate of each TIS reporting category and the diagnostic accuracy of cytology using this system. Database search using a predefined strategy was followed by study selection, data extraction, study quality assessment, and statistical analysis. Data derived from 16 eligible studies were pooled. The pooled rates of malignancy were as follows: 27% (95% CI; 16%-41%) for "nondiagnostic" (ND), 11% (95% CI; 7%-18%) for negative for malignancy" (NFM), 49% (95% CI; 37%-61%) for "atypia of undetermined significance" (AUS), 90% (95% CI; 81%-95%) for "suspicious for malignancy" (SFM), and 100% (95% CI; 98%-100%) for "positive for malignancy" (MAL). Studies performed exclusively in cancer hospitals showed higher pooled malignancy rates, compared with academic and community hospitals serving the general population, in the ND [40% (95% CI; 21%-62%) vs. 22% (95% CI; 11%-39%)], NFM [20% (95% CI; 13%-30%) vs. 9% (95% CI; 5%-17%)], and AUS categories [55% (95% CI; 47%-63%) vs. 46% (95% CI; 31%-62%)]. Notably, the difference was significant in the NFM category ( P =0.04). When both SFM and MAL cytology interpretations were considered as malignant outcomes, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 68.74% (95% CI; 59.90%-76.39%) and 98.81% (95% CI; 98.18%-99.22%), respectively. In addition, the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was found to be 170.7 (95% CI; 96.2-303.3). Despite its strengths, our study also had some limitations. Therefore, future large-scale longitudinal studies could strengthen the findings of this review.

Comparison of Breast Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology and Tissue Sampling for High-Throughput Proteomic Analysis and Cancer Biomarker Detection.

INTRODUCTION: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) specimens are widely utilized for the diagnosis and molecular testing of various cancers. We performed a comparative proteomic analysis of three different sample types, including breast FNAC, core needle biopsy (CNB), and surgical resection tissues. Our goal was to evaluate the suitability of FNAC for in-depth proteomic analysis and for identifying potential therapeutic biomarkers in breast cancer. METHODS: High-throughput proteomic analysis was conducted on matched FNAC, CNB, and surgical resection tissue samples obtained from breast cancer patients. The protein identification, including currently established or promising therapeutic targets, was compared among the three different sample types. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was also performed on all matched samples. RESULTS: Compared to tissue samples, FNAC testing revealed a comparable number of proteins (7,179 in FNAC; 7,196 in CNB; and 7,190 in resection samples). Around 85% of proteins were mutually identified in all sample types. FNAC, along with CNB, showed a positive correlation between the number of enrolled tumor cells and identified proteins. In the GO analysis, the FNAC samples demonstrated a higher number of genes for each pathway and GO terms than tissue samples. CCND1, CDK6, HER2, and IGF1R were found in higher quantities in the FNAC compared to tissue samples, while TUBB2A was only detected in the former. CONCLUSION: FNAC is suitable for high-throughput proteomic analysis, in addition to an emerging source that could be used to identify and quantify novel cancer biomarkers.

Diagnostic Challenges during Inflammation and Cancer: Current Biomarkers and Future Perspectives in Navigating through the Minefield of Reactive versus Dysplastic and Cancerous Lesions in the Digestive System.

In the setting of pronounced inflammation, changes in the epithelium may overlap with neoplasia, often rendering it impossible to establish a diagnosis with certainty in daily clinical practice. Here, we discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms driving tissue response during persistent inflammatory signaling along with the potential association with cancer in the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, extrahepatic bile ducts, and liver. We highlight the histopathological challenges encountered in the diagnosis of chronic inflammation in routine practice and pinpoint tissue-based biomarkers that could complement morphology to differentiate reactive from dysplastic or cancerous lesions. We refer to the advantages and limitations of existing biomarkers employing immunohistochemistry and point to promising new markers, including the generation of novel antibodies targeting mutant proteins, miRNAs, and array assays. Advancements in experimental models, including mouse and 3D models, have improved our understanding of tissue response. The integration of digital pathology along with artificial intelligence may also complement routine visual inspections. Navigating through tissue responses in various chronic inflammatory contexts will help us develop novel and reliable biomarkers that will improve diagnostic decisions and ultimately patient treatment.

The prognostic value of a combined immune score in tumor and immune cells assessed by immunohistochemistry in triple-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop a novel combined immune score (CIS)-based model assessing prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). METHODS: The expression of eight immune markers (PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, IDO, TIM3, OX40, OX40L, and H7-H2) was assessed with immunohistochemistry on the tumor cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs) of 227 TNBC cases, respectively, and subsequently associated with selected clinicopathological parameters and survival. Data retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were further examined to validate our findings. RESULTS: All immune markers were often expressed in TCs and ICs, except for PD-1 which was not expressed in TCs. In ICs, the expression of all immune markers was positively correlated between one another, except between PD-L1 and OX40, also TIM3 and OX40. In ICs, PD-1, PD-L1, and OX40L positive expression was associated with a longer progression-free survival (PFS; p = 0.040, p = 0.020, and p = 0.020, respectively). In TCs, OX40 positive expression was associated with a shorter PFS (p = 0.025). Subsequently, the TNBC patients were classified into high and low combined immune score groups (CIS-H and CIS-L), based on the expression levels of a selection of biomarkers in TCs (TCIS-H or TCIS-L) and ICs (ICIS-H or ICIS-L). The TCIS-H group was significantly associated with a longer PFS (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the ICIS-H group was additionally associated with a longer PFS (p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS; p = 0.001), at significant levels. In the multivariate analysis, both TCIS-H and ICIS-H groups were identified as independent predictors of favorable PFS (p = 0.012 and p = 0.001, respectively). ICIS-H was also shown to be an independent predictor of favorable OS (p = 0.003). The analysis of the mRNA expression data from TCGA also validated our findings regarding TNBC. CONCLUSION: Our novel TCIS and ICIS exhibited a significant prognostic value in TNBC. Additional research would be needed to strengthen our findings and identify the most efficient prognostic and predictive biomarkers for TNBC patients.

Quantitative proteomics identifies TUBB6 as a biomarker of muscle-invasion and poor prognosis in bladder cancer.

Muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIUC) of the bladder shows highly aggressive tumor behavior, which has prompted the quest for robust biomarkers predicting invasion. To discover such biomarkers, we first employed high-throughput proteomic method and analyzed tissue biopsy cohorts from patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC), stratifying them according to their pT stage. Candidate biomarkers were selected through bioinformatic analysis, followed by validation. The latter comprised 2D and 3D invasion and migration assays, also a selection of external public datasets to evaluate mRNA expression and an in-house patient-derived tissue microarray (TMA) cohort to evaluate protein expression with immunohistochemistry (IHC). Our multilayered platform-based analysis identified tubulin beta 6 class V (TUBB6) as a promising prognostic biomarker predicting MIUC of the bladder. The in vitro 2D and 3D migration and invasion assays consistently showed that inhibition of TUBB6 mRNA significantly reduced cell migration and invasion ability in two BUC cell lines with aggressive phenotype (TUBB6 migration, P = .0509 and P < .0001; invasion, P = .0002 and P = .0044; TGFBI migration, P = .0214 and P = .0026; invasion, P < .0001 and P = .0001; T24 and J82, respectively). Validation through multiple public datasets, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and selected GSE (Genomic Spatial Event) databases, confirmed TUBB6 as a potential biomarker predicting MIUC. Further protein-based validation with our TMA cohort revealed concordant results, highlighting the clinical implication of TUBB6 expression in BUC patients (overall survival: P < .001). We propose TUBB6 as a novel IHC biomarker to predict invasion and poor prognosis, also select the optimal treatment in BUC patients.

Discrepancies in Hormone Receptor and HER2 Expression between Malignant Serous Effusions and Paired Tissues from Primary or Recurrent Breast Cancers.

OBJECTIVES: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) biomarkers has prognostic and therapeutic value in breast cancer, while it facilitates molecular subtyping. This study aimed to identify subtype discordance and its clinical significance among different phases of breast cancer evolution, focusing on effusion cytology samples diagnosed with malignancy. METHODS: Our electronic archive was searched for all effusion cases diagnosed as breast carcinomas within a pre-defined period (January 2018-October 2021), and their cell blocks (CBs) were subjected to ER, PR, and HER2 IHC or in situ hybridization. Furthermore, information regarding the same biomarkers from previously obtained tissue specimens of these patients was extracted. RESULTS: Only 2/76 (2.6%) of the breast cancer patients analyzed showed a malignant effusion at their initial presentation. The triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) phenotype was found significantly more often at effusion CBs, compared to their paired biopsies received during initial diagnosis (30/70 vs 16/70; p<0.001). In addition, the presence of TNBC subtype was significantly associated with an earlier development of a malignant effusion, more specifically at initial diagnosis (P<0.001; log-rank test), at first recurrence/metastasis (either solid or effusion) (P=0.012; log-rank test), at effusion (P=0.007; log-rank test), and at any tumor evolution phase (P=0.009; log-rank test). CONCLUSION: Serous effusion cytology provides high-quality material for ancillary techniques, especially when CBs are prepared, reflecting cancer heterogeneity.

Teaching Cellular Architecture: The Global Status of Histology Education.

Histology or microanatomy is the science of the structure and function of tissues and organs in metazoic organisms at the cellular level. By definition, histology is dependent on a variety of microscope techniques, usually light or more recently virtual, as well as electron microscopy. Since its inception more than two centuries ago, histology has been an integral component of biomedical education, specifically for medical, dental, and veterinary students. Traditionally, histology has been taught in two sequential phases, first a didactic transfer of information to learners and secondly a laboratory segment in which students develop the skill of analyzing micrographic images. In this chapter, the authors provide an overview of how histology is currently taught in different global regions. This overview also outlines which educational strategies and technologies are used, and how the local and cultural environment influences the histology education of medical and other students in different countries and continents. Also discussed are current trends that change the teaching of this basic science subject.

Clinical features and diagnostic tools in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are rare autoimmune disorders affecting primarily muscles, but other organs can be involved. This review describes the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment for IIMs, namely polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM), immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), and myositis associated with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS). The diagnostic approach has been updated recently based on the discovery of circulating autoantibodies, which has enhanced the management of patients. Currently, validated classification criteria for IIMs allow clinical studies with well-defined sets of patients but diagnostic criteria to guide the care of individual patients in routine clinical practice are still missing. This review analyzes the clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of IIMs, discusses the efficiency of modern and standard methods employed in their workup, and delineates optimal practice for clinical care. Α multidisciplinary diagnostic approach that combines clinical, neurologic and rheumatologic examination, evaluation of electrophysiologic and morphologic muscle characteristics, and assessment of autoantibody immunoassays has been determined to be the preferred approach for effective management of patients with suspected IIMs.

Artificial intelligence system shows performance at the level of uropathologists for the detection and grading of prostate cancer in core needle biopsy: an independent external validation study.

Accurate diagnosis and grading of needle biopsies are crucial for prostate cancer management. A uropathologist-level artificial intelligence (AI) system could help make unbiased decisions and improve pathologists' efficiency. We previously reported an artificial neural network-based, automated, diagnostic software for prostate biopsy, DeepDx® Prostate (DeepDx). Using an independent external dataset, we aimed to validate the performance of DeepDx at the levels of prostate cancer diagnosis and grading and evaluate its potential value to the general pathologist. A dataset composed of 593 whole-slide images of prostate biopsies (130 normal and 463 adenocarcinomas) was assembled, including their original pathology reports. The Gleason scores (GSs) and grade groups (GGs) determined by three uropathology experts were considered as the reference standard. A general pathologist conducted user validation by scoring the dataset with and without AI assistance. DeepDx was accurate for prostate cancer detection at a similar level to the original pathology report, whereas it was more concordant than the latter with the reference GGs and GSs (kappa/quadratic-weighted kappa = 0.713/0.922 vs. 0.619/0.873 for GGs and 0.654/0.904 vs. 0.576/0.858 for GSs). Notably, it outperformed the original report, especially in the detection of Gleason patterns 4/5, and achieved excellent agreement in quantifying the Gleason pattern 4. When the general pathologist used AI assistance, the concordance of GG between the user and the reference standard increased (kappa/quadratic-weighted kappa, 0.621/0.876 to 0.741/0.925), while the average slide examination time was substantially decreased (55.7 to 36.8 s/case). Overall, DeepDx was capable of making expert-level diagnosis in prostate core biopsies. In addition, its remarkable performance in detecting high-grade Gleason patterns and enhancing the general pathologist's diagnostic performance supports its potential value in routine practice.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma diagnosed with liquid-based cytology and immunocytochemistry.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine malignancy that arises from the parafollicular cells (C cells) secreting calcitonin. This study summarizes our experience in the diagnosis of MTC with ultrasound-guided thyroid FNA, subsequently processed with liquid-based cytology (LBC) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). We searched our laboratory archives for thyroid FNA cases with an interpretation of positive or suspicious for MTC, during the period 2004-2018. A total of 20 cases (18 thyroid FNAs; two lymph node FNAs) were selected and included in this study. These displayed high cellularity and a discohesive pattern, with a few loose syncytial groups. There was some variation in the cell size and shape both across and within our cases. Most MTCs (n = 15) exhibited a predominant plasmacytoid/epithelioid cell morphology, whereas five of our cases showed a spindle cell pattern. Of interest, none of eight MTC microcarcinomas (≤1 cm) showed a spindle cell morphology. Amyloid was found in 11/20 cases (55%), while binucleation/multinucleation in 17/20 (85%), and nuclear pseudoinclusions in 3/20 MTC cases (15%). Nuclei exhibited a granular, "salt and pepper" chromatin in all cases. ICC was performed in 18/20 cases (90%). Calcitonin, CEA, TTF1, and Chromogranin were positive wherever applied, whereas thyroglobulin and CK19 were negative. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided thyroid FNA - processed with LBC and ICC - is a reliable modality to detect MTC preoperatively, facilitating the management of such patients.

Diagnostic Performance of Pancreatic Cytology with the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology System: A Systematic Review, before Shifting into the Upcoming WHO International System.

The Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology (PSC) reporting system classifies pancreatobiliary samples into six categories (I-VI), providing guidance for personalized management. As the World Health Organization (WHO) has been preparing an updated reporting system for pancreatobiliary cytopathology, this systematic review aimed to evaluate the risk of malignancy (ROM) of each PSC category, also the sensitivity and specificity of pancreatic FNA cytology using the current PSC system. Five databases were investigated with a predefined search algorithm. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select the eligible studies for subsequent data extraction. A study quality assessment was also performed. Eight studies were included in the qualitative analysis. The ROM of the PSC categories I, II, III, IV, V, VI were in the ranges of 8-50%, 0-40%, 28-100%, 0-31%, 82-100%, and 97-100%, respectively. Notably, the ROM IVB ("neoplastic-benign") subcategory showed a 0% ROM. Four of the included studies reported separately the ROMs for the IVO subcategory ("neoplastic-other"; its overall ROM ranged from 0 to 34%) with low (LGA) and high-grade atypia (HGA). ROM for LGA ranged from 4.3 to 19%, whereas ROM for HGA from 64 to 95.2%. When the subcategory IVO with HGA was considered as cytologically positive, together with the categories V and VI, there was a higher sensitivity of pancreatic cytology, at minimal expense of the specificity. Evidence suggests the proposed WHO international system changes-shifting the IVB entities into the "benign/negative for malignancy" category and establishing two new categories, the "pancreatic neoplasm, low-risk/grade" and "pancreatic neoplasm, high-risk/grade"-could stratify pancreatic neoplasms more effectively than the current PSC system.

The Effect of Pituitary Gland Disorders on Glucose Metabolism: From Pathophysiology to Management.

This review aims to explore, present, and discuss disorders of glucose metabolism implicated in pituitary gland diseases, the appropriate interventions, as well as the therapeutic challenges that may arise. Pituitary pathologies may dysregulate glucose homeostasis, as both the excess and deficiency of various pituitary hormones can affect glucose metabolism. Increased circulating levels of growth hormone, glucocorticoids or prolactin have been shown to mainly provoke hyperglycemic states, while hypopituitarism can be associated with both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Addressing the primary cause of these disorders with the use of surgery, medical treatment or radiotherapy forms the cornerstone of current management strategies. Physicians should bear in mind that some such medications have an unfavorable effect on glucose metabolism too. When unsuccessful, or until the appropriate treatment of the underlying pituitary problem, the addition of established antidiabetic therapies might prove useful. Further studies aiming to discover more accurate and effective drug preparations in combination with optimal lifestyle management models will contribute to achieving a more successful glycemic control in these patients.

Evaluation of metastases to the pancreas with fine needle aspiration: A case series from a single centre with review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive albeit highly effective modality used to detect solid and cystic pancreatic lesions. This manuscript aims to present our experience in diagnosing metastases to the pancreas and highlight the importance of immunocytochemistry in the diagnostic process. It also aims to provide a brief review of the literature on this topic. METHODS: We retrospectively searched our archives for cases of metastatic deposits to the pancreas diagnosed with FNA over a 5-year period. We also reviewed the literature for such cases. RESULTS: We describe seven cases from our archives that metastasised to the pancreas. Three of them (43%) represented metastatic renal cell carcinoma while the rest four comprised deposits from a lung adenocarcinoma, a colon adenocarcinoma, an adrenal leiomyosarcoma, and a small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, respectively. History of primary malignancy was available for all seven patients. All diagnoses were confirmed with the use of immunostains. In our literature review, similar to our case series, renal cell carcinoma was the most common metastasis to the pancreas managed with FNA (around one out of three patients; 35%). Of interest, our endoscopic ultrasound-FNA case of pancreatic metastasis from urinary bladder small cell carcinoma is the first reported. CONCLUSIONS: As metastases to the pancreas are commonly accompanied by diverse prognostic signatures and management strategies compared to primary pancreatic malignancies, their accurate identification is imperative. Pancreatic FNA is a diagnostic modality that can confirm or exclude metastasis to the organ, especially when immunocytochemistry is applied.

Challenging the concept of "risk of malignancy" in cytology.

Several standardized systems for nongynecological cytopathology have been published following the successful implementation of The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology. Each of these systems comprises a set of reporting categories accompanied by a risk of malignancy. However, in most cases, these risk of malignancy estimates have not been based on high-quality evidence and often may not be consider proper "risks" (because they have been estimated based on cross-sectional studies). This commentary discusses the problems related to the data used to generate these risks. To make nongynecological cytopathology reporting more evidence-based, large-scale prospective cohort studies and randomized trials, in addition to high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses, should be performed.

Expression of EGFR, PD-L1, and the mismatch repair proteins before and following therapy in malignant serous effusions with metastatic high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma.

AIM: To compare the immunochemical expression of EGFR, PD-L1, and the mismatch repair (MMR) proteins MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6 between matched malignant effusions obtained before and following the administration of chemotherapy in patients with high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma (HGSC). METHODS: In the enrolled HGSCs, matched formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded cell blocks (CBs) from effusions sampled before (treatment-naïve patients) and during recurrence (following chemotherapy administration), in addition to their matched HGSC tissues obtained from the ovaries at initial diagnosis (treatment-naïve patients), were subjected to EGFR, PD-L1, and MMR immunochemical analysis. RESULTS: EGFR was more often overexpressed in effusions obtained after chemotherapy administration compared to both effusions (100% vs. 57.1%) and their matched tubo-ovarian tumors (100% vs. 7.1%) from treatment-naïve patients, respectively. EGFR immunochemistry was concordant in just 9.1% of the effusions sampled during recurrence and their paired ovarian samples before recurrence. Whereas all HGSC treatment-naïve samples (ovarian lesions and effusions) were PD-L1 negative, 3/11 (27.3%) malignant effusions obtained during recurrence showed PD-L1 overexpression. Lastly, none of the tested HGSC samples exhibited MMR deficiency. CONCLUSION: Measuring biomarkers using CBs from malignant effusions may provide clinicians with significant information related to HGSC prognosis and therapy selection, especially in patients with resistance to chemotherapy.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Claudin-4 Immunochemistry in Differentiating Metastatic Carcinomas From Mesothelial Processes in Serous Effusion Cytology: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

CONTEXT.­: Distinguishing metastatic carcinomas from mesotheliomas or reactive mesothelial cells in pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial effusions is a common diagnostic problem cytopathologists encounter. OBJECTIVE.­: To perform the first meta-analysis on the pooled diagnostic accuracy of claudin-4 immunochemistry in serous effusion cytopathology. DESIGN.­: This report followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for diagnostic test accuracy studies. Three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library) were searched until October 9, 2023, followed by study selection using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and data extraction. The study quality assessment was performed by using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Statistical analysis was performed by using R to calculate the pooled sensitivity and specificity of claudin-4 immunochemistry. In addition, the diagnostic odds ratio was measured, representing the odds ratio of a positive result indicating a carcinoma rather than a mesothelial process in serous effusion cytology. RESULTS.­: Fourteen observational studies, published between 2011 and 2023, fulfilled the selection criteria and were included. All 14 studies used the 3E2C1 clone. Claudin-4 immunochemistry showed a high diagnostic accuracy in serous effusion cytology. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 98.02% (95% CI, 93.96%-99.37%) and 99.72% (95% CI, 97.36%-99.97%), respectively. Lastly, the pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 1660.5 (95% CI, 760.0-3627.8) and no evidence of statistical heterogeneity between the included studies was found (I2 = 0%, τ2 = 0). CONCLUSIONS.­: Claudin-4 may be used as a single pan-carcinoma immunochemical biomarker in the differential diagnosis between metastatic carcinomas and mesotheliomas or reactive mesothelial cells in serous effusion cytology.

Firing Alterations of Neurons in Alzheimer's Disease: Are They Merely a Consequence of Pathogenesis or a Pivotal Component of Disease Progression?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, yet its underlying causes remain elusive. The conventional perspective on disease pathogenesis attributes alterations in neuronal excitability to molecular changes resulting in synaptic dysfunction. Early hyperexcitability is succeeded by a progressive cessation of electrical activity in neurons, with amyloid beta (Aß) oligomers and tau protein hyperphosphorylation identified as the initial events leading to hyperactivity. In addition to these key proteins, voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels play a decisive role in the altered electrical properties of neurons in AD. Impaired synaptic function and reduced neuronal plasticity contribute to a vicious cycle, resulting in a reduction in the number of synapses and synaptic proteins, impacting their transportation inside the neuron. An understanding of these neurophysiological alterations, combined with abnormalities in the morphology of brain cells, emerges as a crucial avenue for new treatment investigations. This review aims to delve into the detailed exploration of electrical neuronal alterations observed in different AD models affecting single neurons and neuronal networks.

Diagnostic Performance of the Newly Developed WellPrep® Liquid-Based Cytology System and Its Comparison with SurePathTM in Cervical Squamous Lesions.

INTRODUCTION: WellPrep® (WP), a fully automated, one-step liquid-based cytology (LBC) platform using an all-in-one closed chamber, has recently been developed as a next-generation LBC technology. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and cytomorphologic features of WP regarding cervical cytology and also to compare WP with the SurePathTM (SP), one of the most widely used LBC systems used worldwide. METHODS: Cervicovaginal samples were taken from 212 females who enrolled in the study, and each sample was split and subsequently used for WP and SP LBC. Following the exclusion of seven cases with insufficient quality, a total of 205 cases were used for subsequent analysis. Among them, 75 (36.6%) received histologic follow-up. All cases were interpreted according to the Bethesda System, while three experienced pathologists evaluated their cytomorphologic features. RESULTS: The diagnostic concordance rate between the two LBC technologies was 84.4% (kappa = 0.776). Furthermore, the diagnostic concordance rates between SP and histology and between WP and histology were 73.3% (kappa = 0.516) and 70.7% (kappa = 0.497), respectively. The two LBC methods showed comparable sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) for histologic HSIL+ (SP: sensitivity 82.8%, specificity 84.8%, and AUC 0.838; WP: sensitivity 79.3%, specificity 87.0%, and AUC 0.831). No significant difference was found regarding the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC between SP and WP (p = 0.586, p = 0.670, and p = 0.924, respectively). In terms of cytomorphologic features, WP revealed more often than SP the presence of coarse chromatin (p = 0.031) and mitoses (p = 0.008) but less commonly perinuclear clearing (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: This is the first study demonstrating that WP has a comparable performance to SP. In conclusion, WP may be an alternative LBC technology for cervical cancer screening.

Clinical application of the anti-human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) antibody (SCD-A7) immunocytochemistry in liquid-based urine cytology: A prospective, single institute study.

OBJECTIVES: Urine cytology is the most widely used noninvasive screening tool for urothelial carcinoma diagnosis and surveillance. Although highly specific, urine cytology exhibits suboptimal sensitivity. This study aimed to determine whether hTERT immunocytochemistry (ICC) could be applicable as an ancillary test in routine cytology practice. METHODS: A total of 561 urinary tract samples were initially screened in this study. All of them were prepared using SurePath liquid-based cytology (LBC), while additional LBC slides were made and subsequently used for hTERT (SCD-A7) ICC. RESULTS: From the 561 samples screened, 337 were finally analyzed, all having an adequate cellularity and available follow-up histology. The hTERT ICC-positive rate was 95.9% (n = 208/217), 96% (n = 24/25), and 100% (n = 4/4) in cytology samples with high-grade urothelial carcinoma, carcinoma in situ, and low-grade urothelial carcinoma subsequent histology. Among the 64 atypical cytology cases histologically confirmed as urothelial carcinomas, 92.2% (n = 59/64) were immunoreactive to hTERT, whereas the two histologically benign cases were ICC-negative. 87/90 (96.7%) of the cytology cases confirmed to be benign in follow-up were hTERT-negative. The overall sensitivity and specificity of hTERT ICC were 96.3% and 98.8%, respectively (AUROC = 0.963; 95% CI = 0.960-0.967). CONCLUSIONS: The hTERT ICC test exhibited consistent and intense staining in malignant urothelial cells, suggesting its value as an ancillary test in liquid-based urine cytology.