Prevalence and clinicopathological associations of HER2 expression in non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective study in Jordanian patients.

BACKGROUND: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a promising therapeutic target, can be mutated, amplified, or overexpressed in different malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although these alterations showed adverse prognostic effects in many cancers, their clinical significance in NSCLC is controversial. This study primarily assessed the prevalence of HER2 protein expression in NSCLC among Jordanian patients. In addition, the possible association between HER2 protein expression and clinicopathological variables was evaluated. METHODS: A total of 100 surgically resected NSCLC cases treated at King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) between 2009 and 2021 were examined for HER2 protein expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) guidelines for breast cancer were applied to interpret the results with a final score ranging from 0 to 3+, considering a score of 3 + as overexpression. Additionally, a separate subset of patients was tested for HER2 gene mutation. Fisher's exact test was used to assess the association between HER2 scores and the other variables. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival. RESULTS: Of the 100 cases, Her2 overexpression (score 3+) was detected in 2 cases (2%), score 2 + in 10 cases (10%), score 1 + in 12 cases (12%), and score 0 in 76 cases (76%). The two positive cases were one adenocarcinoma and one squamous cell carcinoma; both patients were elderly male smokers. No significant association was identified between Her2 expression and age, gender, smoking, histological subtype, grade, stage, tumor size, and lymph node status. Our findings also showed no association between Her2 expression and survival; however, advanced tumor stages and positive lymph node metastasis were significantly associated with poor overall survival. All cases tested for the Her2 mutation were negative. CONCLUSIONS: Her2 overexpression is uncommon in NSCLC among the Jordanian population. However, when the same scoring criteria are used, the rates are similar to other results found in Asian cohorts. Due to our study's relatively small sample size, a larger one is required to investigate the prognostic value and the molecular associations between the different Her2 alterations.

Postmortem lung and heart examination of COVID-19 patients in a case series from Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic for more than 2 years. Autopsy examination is an invaluable tool to understand the pathogenesis of emerging infections and their consequent mortalities. The aim of the current study was to present the lung and heart pathological findings of COVID-19-positive autopsies performed in Jordan. METHODS: The study involved medicolegal cases, where the cause of death was unclear and autopsy examination was mandated by law. We included the clinical and pathologic findings of routine gross and microscopic examination of cases that were positive for COVID-19 at time of death. Testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed through molecular detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing for IgM and electron microscope examination of lung samples. RESULTS: Seventeen autopsies were included, with male predominance (76.5%), Jordanians (70.6%), and 50 years as the mean age at time of death. Nine out of 16 cases (56.3%) had co-morbidities, with one case lacking such data. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed diffuse alveolar damage in 13/17 cases (76.5%), and pulmonary microthrombi in 8/17 cases (47.1%). Microscopic cardiac findings were scarcely detected. Two patients died as a direct result of acute cardiac disease with limited pulmonary findings. CONCLUSIONS: The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in postmortem examination can be an incidental or contributory finding which highlights the value of autopsy examination to determine the exact cause of death in controversial cases.

Unusual Osteoblastoma of the First Metatarsal Bone Treated by Total Resection and Fibular Autograft: A Case Report.

CASE: A 25-year-old man presented with progressive pain and swelling of the left foot for 4 years. The images showed a contrast-enhanced mixed lesion (osteolytic and blastic) of the first metatarsal bone with surrounding soft-tissue edema. The differential diagnoses favored chronic osteomyelitis or neoplasia, most likely benign. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of osteoblastoma as immature bone trabeculae rimmed by osteoblasts appeared. Then, the patient was successfully treated with wide surgical excision of the first metatarsal bone and reconstruction using a nonvascularized fibular autograft. After 3 years of follow-up, the graft was well incorporated and no recurrence was encountered. CONCLUSION: Osteoblastoma is rare in metatarsals; only 12 cases have been reported. It may have similar clinical and radiological picture to osteomyelitis. Wide surgical excision followed by fibular autograft reconstruction is an effective treatment option.