Rectovaginal endometriosis with nodular smooth muscle metaplasia diagnosed via transrectal ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology: An underused minimally invasive diagnostic technique?

Rectovaginal endometriosis is a severe variant of deeply infiltrating endometriosis. Laparoscopic assessment with tissue sampling remains the gold standard for diagnosis of endometriosis. However, transvaginal (TVUS) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) have been shown to be especially helpful in the diagnosis of deep endometriosis. We present the case of a 49-year-old female with menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, and constipation. Upon pelvic examination, an incidental mass was palpated. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an anterior rectal wall mass and colonoscopy was non-diagnostic. Further work-up with MRI showed a 3.9 cm mass centered within the upper rectovaginal septum. TRUS guided fine-needle aspiration (TRUS-FNA) revealed cohesive epithelial cell groups without significant cytologic atypia and a second population of bland spindle cells. Cell block slides showed glandular epithelium with associated stroma that exhibited endometrial morphology and immunophenotype. Nodular fragments of spindle cells with smooth muscle immunophenotype and fibrosis were also present. The overall morphologic findings were consistent with rectovaginal endometriosis with nodular smooth muscle metaplasia. Medical management with nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor with radiologic follow-up was selected. Rectovaginal endometriosis represents a type of deep endometriosis usually associated with severe pelvic symptoms. Metaplastic smooth muscle cells are a frequent component of endometriosis in the rectovaginal pouch with nodular growth and may present diagnostic challenges. TRUS-FNA is a minimally invasive procedure that can provide an accurate diagnosis of endometriosis, even in this variant of deep infiltrating disease.

Contemporary evaluation of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor expression in breast cancer-associated stroma.

PURPOSE: To investigate nuclear estrogen receptor α (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PR) immunohistochemistry (IHC) patterns in the stroma surrounding invasive carcinoma and assess associations with clinicopathologic features. METHODS: A retrospective database search (1/2017-12/2020) identified breast core biopsies with invasive carcinoma. ERα/PR IHC expression in invasive carcinoma and stromal cells was categorized visually as positive (> 10%), low positive (1-10%) or negative (< 1%). Tumors were divided into 4 subtypes by IHC: Luminal, Luminal HER2, HER2 enriched, and triple negative. Clinicopathologic features associated (univariate p-value < 0.15) with ERα/PR stromal expression were investigated further using stepwise multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 1512 biopsies, 1278 had accessible IHC. 55.6% (711/1278) and 10.4% (133/1274) of cases showed cancer-associated stromal fibroblast expression of ERα and PR, respectively. Stromal ER positivity was significantly associated with use of the Ventana (with SP1 clone) versus Leica (with 6F11 clone) platform and in cases with Luminal cancer subtype. PR stromal expression was significantly associated with Luminal subtype, obesity, and younger age. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of ERα and PR in breast cancer-associated stroma showed associations that suggest both biologic and analytic influence. Reproducible expression patterns may inform expansion of ERα/PR guidelines for the assessment of internal controls.

Assessing the value of second opinion pathology review.

BACKGROUND: Second opinion review of pathology cases can identify diagnostic errors that impact patient care. OBJECTIVE: We sought out to determine discrepancy rates and clinical impact of review of pathology cases to reassess our policy of review on all second opinion cases. METHODS: All second opinion pathology cases over 1 year (2018) were retrospectively reviewed for discrepancy, multiple pathologist review and clinicopathologic features via chart and slide review. Cases were categorized as no significant discordance, major discordance without management change and major discordance with management change. RESULTS: Among 4239 second opinion cases, 3.7% (156/4239) had major discordance with no change in management and 1% (42/4239) had major discordance with change in management. Discordance was significantly associated with multiple pathologist review at our institution (P < 0.001). Highest rates of discordance were observed for thyroid fine needle aspiration (15.3%, 26/170), tissue biopsy of bone/soft tissue (9.6%), endocrine (8.8%), genitourinary (6.7%), gynecologic (6.2%), hematopathology (4%), gastrointestinal/liver (3.7%) and thoracic (3%) sites. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed a 1% major discordance rate with resulting significant change in clinical management, spread across nearly all subspecialties. Thus, we support recommendations for review of relevant outside pathology material for all patients for which review has the potential to illicit management change such as instituting a major medical or surgical therapy.

Revisiting the (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be reaction near threshold.

In this work we review all the available experimental neutron data for the (7)Li(p,n) reaction near threshold which is necessary to obtain an accurate source model for Monte Carlo simulations in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. Scattered published experimental results such as cross sections, differential neutron yields and total yields were collected and analyzed, exploring the sensitivity of the fitting parameters to the different possible variables and deriving a consistent working set of parameters to evaluate the neutron source near threshold.

Polimorfismo inserción/deleción del gen de la enzima convertidora de angiontensina y enfermedad coronaria en la población de Montería, Córdoba / Insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene and coronary artery disease in the population of Monteria, Cordoba

Antecedentes y objetivo: el polimorfismo inserción/deleción del gen de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina, ha sido identificado como un potente factor de riesgo de enfermedad coronaria. Para la población de Montería se desconocen las frecuencias con las que se expresan los alelos de este gen y el carácter de su interacción con condiciones de riesgo cardiovascular. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar, para dicha población, la asociación de este polimorfismo y el riesgo de sufrir enfermedad coronaria. Método: se llevó a cabo un estudio retrospectivo con 70 casos y 70 controles; como casos se consideraron pacientes con padecimientos coronarios confirmados por electrocardiograma, remitidos a la Organización Cardiodiagnóstico de Córdoba, y como controles individuos voluntarios sin antecedentes cardiovasculares y sin relación filial. El ADN requerido se extrajo a partir de sangre periférica. La caracterización del polimorfismo se hizo mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa. Resultados: la distribución de genotipos de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina en pacientes casos no fue significativamente diferente a la estimada en pacientes controles (X2=3.687, p=0,1583). El genotipo más frecuente en la población fue ID (40,72%). En el grupo casos, el genotipo II fue más frecuente que el genotipo DD comparado con el grupo control (p<0,05). El modelo de regresión logística múltiple ajustado, indicó no significancia del genotipo DD como factor de riesgo coronario (razón de disparidad = 0,51 IC95% = 0,25 – 1,06). Conclusión: el polimorfismo I/D del gen de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina no mostró ser un factor de riesgo significativo para enfermedad coronaria en la población de Montería.

Background and Objective: the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the gene for angiotensin converting enzyme has been identified as a potent risk factor for coronary heart disease. For the population of Monteria, the frequency with which the alleles of this gene are expressed and the nature of its interaction with cardiovascular risk conditions, are not known. The aim of this work was to determine the association of this polymorphism and the risk of coronary heart disease in this population. Methods: a retrospective study of 70 cases and 70 controls was conducted. Cases were the patients with coronary disease confirmed by electrocardiogram , reported to the Cordoba Cardiodiagnosis Organization and the control ones were volunteers without history of cardiovascular disease and without filial relationship. Required DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. Polymorphism characterization was done by the polymerase chain reaction. Results: the distribution of genotypes of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene in patients cases was not significantly different from that estimated in control patients (X2 = 3.687, p = 0.1583). The most common genotype in the population was ID (40.72%). In the group cases, genotype II was more frequent than the DD genotype compared with the control group (p < 0,05). The multiple logistic regression adjusted model indicated no significance of DD genotype as coronary risk factor (odds ratio = 0.51 95% CI = 0.25 to 1.06). Conclusion: I/D polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene did not show to be a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease in the population of Monteria.