Inter-Institutional Pathology Consultation: The Importance of Breast Pathology Subspecialization in a Setting of Tertiary Cancer Center.

Inter-institutional pathology consultation (IPC) has shown to be significant in patient care. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of IPC for breast biopsies in our institution. A total of 502 consecutive consult cases of breast core needle biopsies were reviewed. The original pathology reports from the referring institutions and our reports were compared for all cases. All cases were reviewed by specialized breast pathologists. Discordance was divided into minor and major based on the impact on patient care. We reviewed the subsequent excisional biopsy for all discordant cases. Discordance was seen in 104 (20.7%) cases; 40 (8%) had a major discordance and 64 (13%) had a minor discordance. Subsequent surgical excision was available for 25 (62.5%) cases with major discordance and for 13 (20.3%) with minor discordance. Our interpretation changed management in 15 (3%) patients, while 25 (5%) had a potential of management change. The cases with major discordance could be subcategorized into five groups, malignant 5 (12.5%), premalignant 16 (40%), biomarkers 10 (25%), fibroepithelial lesions 6 (15%), and others 3 (7.5%). Our findings support the value of IPC review in decreasing the likelihood of diagnostic errors that may lead to significant impact on patient care. It is necessary that outside pathology material in the referral settings been reviewed by a specialized breast pathologist.

A case of unusual mast cell response with interstitial cystitis-like symptoms to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Randomized trials support the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer based on a noted survival advantage, which appeared to be strongly related to downstaging of the cancer to pT0 (complete pathologic response). This report presents a case of an unusual mast cell response along with bladder wall thickening after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, the final cystectomy specimen did not reveal any residual tumor (pT0). The authors hypothesize that neoadjuvant chemotherapy could have caused the diffuse mast cell response, and that this profound inflammatory response can be used as a biomarker of complete response to chemotherapy.

Rotator cable: MRI study of its appearance in the intact rotator cuff with anatomic and histologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to define and correlate the appearance of the rotator cable on MRI with arthroscopy, band-saw cadaveric sections, and histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two cadaveric shoulders underwent 3-T MRI, band-sawing, and histologic evaluation. Three readers evaluated the MRI for the presence of the cable, and the same readers and a pathologist reviewed the macroscopic and microscopic specimens for a structure that corresponded to the cable. Cadaver 1 underwent arthroscopic evaluation to evaluate for the presence of a cable. Seventy consecutive shoulders that underwent 1.5- or 3-T MRI were also reviewed for the presence of the cable and evaluation of its characteristics (location, thickness, and width). RESULTS: A linear band of hypointense signal intensity was found along the undersurface of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons on both cadaveric MR images, which correlated to a linear band of tissue in the same location on macroscopic and microscopic evaluation and linear thickening along the cuff articular surface on arthroscopy consistent with the cable. The cable was seen in 74.3% of the MRI studies in both sagittal and coronal planes with a mean (± SD) distance of the cable from the medial margin of the enthesis of 1.33 ± 0.27 cm, a mean width of the cable of 1.24 ± 0.31 cm, and a mean thickness of 0.19 ± 0.05 cm. CONCLUSION: The rotator cable is a structure that can be consistently seen on gross anatomic and histologic analysis, arthroscopy, and MRI in the intact rotator cuff. Familiarity with the typical location and morphology of the cable may allow easier characterization of disease that can involve the cable, such as rotator cuff tears.

Giant cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp arising in the setting of folliculitis decalvans.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is uncommon in African Americans (AAs), with an incidence of approximately 0.003%. However, it is the most common skin cancer in that patient population. In AAs, SCC typically arises in sun-protected areas and mainly affects patients older than 50 years. We report a case of giant SCC in an AA man in his 40s with long-standing folliculitis decalvans on the scalp. Three previous skin biopsies were inconclusive. A wide excision was performed and the defect was reconstructed with an anterolateral thigh free flap. Histological analysis of the resected specimen revealed a well-moderately differentiated keratinising SCC with clear cell changes, severe mixed inflammation, folliculitis and dermal scar. He was discharged 2 weeks later and has been followed up closely. Four months later, the patient presents with metastatic SCC to an occipital lymph node.

An Obscure Presence of Gastroduodenal Involvement in a Newly Diagnosed Ileocolonic Crohn's Disease Patient.

Whereas typical Crohn's disease is confined to the terminal ileum and presents with abdominal pain and diarrhea, gastroduodenal manifestations of Crohn's disease are rare, with often asymptomatic patient presentations and inconclusive diagnostic testing. It is, however, a more severe form of Crohn's disease and thus warrants treatment with steroids and biologics much earlier than its ileocolonic counterpart. We present the case of a young, otherwise healthy, male with newly diagnosed ileocolonic Crohn's disease with concurrent gastroduodenal involvement that initially failed management with biologic agents. We discuss the clinical manifestations and often obscure pathology of gastroduodenal Crohn's disease and highlight the necessity of performing a concurrent esophagogastroduodenoscopic evaluation on newly diagnosed ileocolonic Crohn's disease to assess the presence of upper gastrointestinal involvement.

Pancreatic hepatoid carcinoma: a rare form of pancreatic neoplasm.

Primary pancreatic hepatoid carcinoma (PHC) is extremely rare, resembling hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of morphology and immunohistochemical features. Hepatoid carcinoma can present in other organs, most noticeably in the stomach. PHC is present in two forms either a pure form like HCC or admixed with other histologic tumor components characteristic of the underlying primary site (endocrine tumors, ductal, or acinar adenocarcinomas). Here, we report a 69-year-old male patient with distal pancreatic mass incidentally found during a CT scan workup for a pulmonary nodule suspicious for metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma. We described the clinical, cytological, and histological finding and conducted a literature review.