Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) immunoreactivity is an adverse prognostic factor in endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterine corpus.

AIMS: It is known that thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is expressed in a small percentage of primary gynaecological adenocarcinomas. Following the observation of TTF-1 positivity in a number of endometrioid adenocarcinomas of the uterine corpus which behaved aggressively, we undertook immunohistochemical staining of a large series of endometrial adenocarcinomas of various types to investigate whether its expression is of prognostic significance. METHODS AND RESULTS: TTF-1 was performed on tissue microarrays containing 102 low-grade (grades 1 or 2) endometrioid adenocarcinomas, 101 grade 3 endometrioid adenocarcinomas, 89 serous adenocarcinomas and 29 clear cell carcinomas. All categories of endometrial adenocarcinoma exhibited TTF-1 staining in a small subset of cases (2% low-grade endometrioid, 11% grade 3 endometrioid, 9% serous, 7% clear cell). TTF-1 was less frequently expressed in low-grade endometrioid adenocarcinomas compared to other subtypes. Endometrioid adenocarcinomas which expressed TTF-1 had a statistically significant worse prognosis with poorer disease-specific survival, and this was also statistically significant in the group of low-grade endometrioid adenocarcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that TTF-1 is expressed in a small, but not insignificant, proportion of endometrial adenocarcinomas. TTF-1 positivity in low-grade endometrioid adenocarcinomas is an indicator of poorer prognosis.

Concordance between digital pathology and light microscopy in general surgical pathology: a pilot study of 100 cases.

AIM: (1) A pilot study to determine the accuracy of interpretation of whole slide digital images in a broad range of general histopathology cases of graded complexity. (2) To survey the participating histopathologists with regard to acceptability of digital pathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glass slides of 100 biopsies and minor resections were digitally scanned in their entirety, producing digital slides. These cases had been diagnosed by light microscopy at least 1 year previously and were subsequently reassessed by the original reporting pathologist (who was blinded to their original diagnosis) using digital pathology. The digital pathology-based diagnosis was compared with the original glass slide diagnosis and classified as concordant, slightly discordant (without clinical consequence) or discordant. The participants were surveyed at the end of the study. RESULTS: There was concordance between the original light microscopy diagnosis and digital pathology-based diagnosis in 95 of the 100 cases while the remaining 5 cases showed only slight discordance (with no clinical consequence). None of the cases were categorised as discordant. Participants had mixed experiences using digital pathology technology. CONCLUSIONS: In the broad range of cases we examined, digital pathology is a safe and viable method of making a primary histopathological diagnosis.

Should lymph nodes from colorectal cancer resection specimens be processed in their entirety?

AIMS: To quantify the benefit of processing each lymph node in its entirety in colorectal cancer specimens. METHODS: 391 consecutive cases were examined retrospectively to assess how often cases were upstaged to node positive disease by examining each node in its entirety. RESULTS: 7 out of 391 patients were upstaged by this method. However, of those patients, approximately three could have been detected by chance. Therefore, approximately 1% of cases were correctly upstaged. However, six of these seven patients also had at least one additional adverse prognostic factor, and would otherwise have been considered high risk Dukes' B cases. CONCLUSIONS: Processing all slices of each lymph node significantly increases laboratory workload and is of minimal clinical benefit.

Disordered microbial communities in asthmatic airways.

BACKGROUND: A rich microbial environment in infancy protects against asthma [1], [2] and infections precipitate asthma exacerbations [3]. We compared the airway microbiota at three levels in adult patients with asthma, the related condition of COPD, and controls. We also studied bronchial lavage from asthmatic children and controls. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 5,054 16S rRNA bacterial sequences from 43 subjects, detecting >70% of species present. The bronchial tree was not sterile, and contained a mean of 2,000 bacterial genomes per cm(2) surface sampled. Pathogenic Proteobacteria, particularly Haemophilus spp., were much more frequent in bronchi of adult asthmatics or patients with COPD than controls. We found similar highly significant increases in Proteobacteria in asthmatic children. Conversely, Bacteroidetes, particularly Prevotella spp., were more frequent in controls than adult or child asthmatics or COPD patients. SIGNIFICANCE: The results show the bronchial tree to contain a characteristic microbiota, and suggest that this microbiota is disturbed in asthmatic airways.