A proof of evidence supporting abnormal immunothrombosis in severe COVID-19: naked megakaryocyte nuclei increase in the bone marrow and lungs of critically ill patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health emergency with many clinical facets, and new knowledge about its pathogenetic mechanisms is deemed necessary; among these, there are certainly coagulation disorders. In the history of medicine, autopsies and tissue sampling have played a fundamental role in order to understand the pathogenesis of emerging diseases, including infectious ones; compared to the past, histopathology can be now expanded by innovative techniques and modern technologies. For the first time in worldwide literature, we provide a detailed postmortem and biopsy report on the marked increase, up to 1 order of magnitude, of naked megakaryocyte nuclei in the bone marrow and lungs from serious COVID-19 patients. Most likely related to high interleukin-6 serum levels stimulating megakaryocytopoiesis, this phenomenon concurs to explain well the pulmonary abnormal immunothrombosis in these critically ill patients, all without molecular or electron microscopy signs of megakaryocyte infection.

Multifocal Giant Cell Tumor of the Nasal Fossa: Case Report and Literature Review.

Giant cell tumors of bone (GCT) are rare soft tissue tumors, that account for 3%-5% of primary bone tumors with <2% occurring in the head and neck. The nasal cavity is a highly unusual site of presentation. We reviewed 15 cases of GCT of nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. We add 1 case to the literature. The case herein reported, appears to be the second nasal fossa GCT described in the literature and the first documented case with multifocal localization. A case of multifocal GCT of the nasal cavity is described. Although rare in the general population, GCT should be included among the possibilities in the differential diagnosis when evaluating tumors of the head and neck. Management of this particular tumor remains challenging; surgical removal is still the gold standard treatment, preferring a minimally invasive trans-nasal approach to reduce intra and post-operative morbidity. Laryngoscope, 2023.

Paraglottic Space Invasion in Glottic Laryngeal Cancer: A Clinical-Pathological Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to prospectively compare endoscopic, radiological, and pathological features of a cohort of patients with glottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) undergoing open partial horizontal laryngectomy (OPHL) type II/III or total laryngectomy to better understand the reliability of preoperative endoscopy and computed tomography (CT) to predict the inferior paraglottic space (iPGS) involvement. METHODS: We prospectively compared the endoscopic, radiological, and pathological findings in patients with glottic LSCC who underwent OPHL II/III, or total laryngectomy. RESULTS: Endoscopy achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 87.2% for the anterior iPGS (iPGSa) and 86.1% for the posterior iPGS (iPGSp). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of histopathologic iPGSa involvement between reduced (85%-17/20 pts) and absent (92%-24/26 pts) vocal cord mobility (p = 0.39). CT alone did not improve the diagnostic performance of the endoscopy, reaching a diagnostic accuracy of 62.9% and 73.7% for the iPGSa and iPGSp, respectively. When endoscopy and CT were combined, the diagnostic performance improved for the iPGSp, achieving a sensitivity (Se), specificity (Spe), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100%, 89.8%, 68.7%, and 100%, respectively. On the contrary, the combination of CT and endoscopy improved only the Se and NPV for the iPGSa with respect to the sole endoscopic assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Whenever motility impairment is present, a histopathologic invasion of the iPGS should be suspected. Endoscopic assessment of laryngeal motility achieved a satisfactory value of Se, Spe, PPV, and NPV in predicting the involvement of the iPGS. CT scan is still the mainstay imaging technique in the clinical staging of patients with LSCC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:1184-1190, 2023.

Siblings with Acquired Tracheocele: Possible Hereditary Etiopathogenesis?

Tracheocele is a herniation of the tracheal mucosa through a defect in the tracheal wall. Familiar and/or genetical factors have never been taken into consideration in the etiopathogenesis of acquired tracheocele. Acquired tracheocele occurred in a brother and a sister from India. CT scan of the neck showed an air cyst next to the right tracheal wall. They underwent surgical excision through a transverse cervical incision. Histopathology of the lesion revealed a fibrous sac lined by a pseudostratified columnar respiratory epithelium in both patients. They had no recurrence of tracheocele at 12 months follow up. Genetic counseling did not evidence any significative associated abnormalities. No previous cases of familiar acquired tracheocele have been reported in the literature. Given the rarity of the lesion occurring in more than one member of a family, hereditary factors could be supposed as contributing factors in the etiopathogenesis of acquired tracheocele.

EGFR polysomy in squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid gland (PSCCT) is an uncommon malignancy characterized by a poor prognosis. A radical surgical approach combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy is the generally accepted treatment for this tumor. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor modulating the cell proliferation and biological progression of many human epithelial tumors. The EGFR overexpression in PSCCT suggests an additional therapeutic option for the treatment of this tumor. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: The clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical profiles of two cases of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid in a 66-year-old and an 83-year-old woman are presented. EGFR status was valued in both cases. RESULTS: Overexpression of EGFR protein was detected in 50% and 75% of the tumor cell membranes. EGRF gene polysomy was detected in both tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceuticals targeting EGFR may help to provide the rationale for an additional, novel therapeutic option for this rare tumor, especially when other therapeutic options have been exhausted.

Surrogate Molecular Classification of Invasive Breast Carcinoma: A Comparison Between Core Needle Biopsy and Surgical Excision, With and Without Neoadjuvant Therapy.

Surrogate molecular classification identifies different subtypes of invasive breast carcinoma on the basis of their immunohistochemical markers. The purpose of the study is to verify whether the immunohistochemical markers and surrogate molecular subtypes can be correctly assessed on the core needle biopsy (CNB) when compared with the corresponding surgical excision (SE), with or without neoadjuvant treatment (NAT). Cases with invasive carcinomas identified on both CNB and SE were retrospectively selected. With immunohistochemistry for estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PgR), Ki67, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2), and molecular analysis for Her2, surrogate molecular classification was determined in 4 and 5 groups, according to the 2013 St Gallen consensus. A total of 1067 cases was considered and complete data for surrogate molecular classification were available for 988 cases (655 without NAT, 333 with NAT). Without NAT, concordance was strong for ER and Her2, moderate for PgR, and weak for Ki67; concordance for surrogate molecular classification was moderate. After NAT, lower concordance rates were recorded, with significant reduction of PgR (P<0.001) and Ki67 (P<0.001). Without NAT, the surrogate molecular subtypes of breast carcinoma can be reliably assessed on CNB; Ki67 and/or PgR may be repeated on SE when values are close to cutoffs to avoid tumor subtype misclassification. After NAT, it seems advisable to repeat at least Ki67 and PgR.