Fusion transcriptome profiling defines the monoclonal origin of multifocal epithelioid haemangioma of bone.

AIMS: Epithelioid haemangioma (EH) of bone remains a highly controversial entity. Indeed, the WHO classifies EHs of soft tissues as benign tumours, whereas bone EHs are considered intermediate-locally aggressive tumours due to common multifocal presentation and local destructive growth. To gain insights into the clinical behaviour and biology of EH of bone we retrospectively analysed 42 patients treated in a single institution from 1978 to 2021. METHODS AND RESULTS: Multifocal presentation was detected in 17 of 42 patients (40%) primarily as synchronous lesions. Patients were treated with curettage (57%), resection (29%) or biopsy, followed by radiotherapy or embolisation (14%). Follow-up (minimum 24 months) was available for 38 patients, with only five local recurrences (13%) and no death of disease. To clarify whether the synchronous bone lesions in multifocal EH represent multicentric disease or clonal dissemination, four cases were profiled by RNA-sequencing. Separate lesions from the same patient, which showed a similar transcriptional profile, expressed the same fusion transcript (involving FOS or FOSB) with identical gene breakpoints. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that, in EH of bone, multifocal lesions are clonally related and therefore represent the spread of a same neoplastic clone rather than simultaneous independent tumours. This finding is in apparent contradiction with the benign clinical course of the disease, and suggests that tumour dissemination in bone EH probably reflects a phenomenon of passive spreading, with tumour cells colonising distal sites while maintaining their benign biological nature.

Biobancos en los servicios de anatomía patológica en Costa Rica: un análisis bioético y biojurídico

Objetivo: Analizar el marco bioético y biojurídico en relación con los biobancos en los servicios de anatomía patológica. Métodos: Revisión bibliográfica descriptiva de información relevante sobre la bioética y bioderecho en relación con los biobancos en los servicios de anatomía patológica, en donde se contemplaron las normativas, decretos y leyes nacionales e internacionales relacionadas con los biobancos y las bases de datos; se consultaron diferentes libros de texto utilizando el catálogo público del Sistema de Bibliotecas, Documentación e Información de la Universidad de Costa Rica y plataformas como PubMed y Google Académico. Resultados: Con el avance de la medicina en el desarrollo de nuevas técnicas terapéuticas y diagnósticas, surge una nueva herramienta de gran interés científico a nivel internacional: el establecimiento de biobancos de tejidos para conservar muestras biológicas utilizadas en estudios moleculares e investigación. Esto trajo consigo una cantidad de cuestionamientos de índole bioético y biojurídico relevantes relacionados con los derechos humanos y el respeto a la dignidad humana. Para establecer un biobanco en un departamento de anatomía patológica es indispensable conocer, manejar e implementar lo estipulado por las normativas nacionales e internacionales referente al consentimiento informado y la protección de los datos vinculados a los bioespecímenes. Conclusiones: Para utilizar en investigación los bioespecímenes que se encuentran en los departamentos de anatomía patológica debe seguirse lo que estipulan las normas y directrices nacionales e internacionales que regulan el manejo, uso y almacenamiento de las muestras, el consentimiento informado, la protección y la confidencialidad de los datos relacionados a las personas involucradas en los estudios biomédicos. En Costa Rica el marc ético-jurídico relacionado a la investigación biomédica regula el uso de los bioespecímenes en ensayos clínicos, pero no existe una legislación nacional específica en materia de biobancos, se recomienda que se establezca una ley con su respectivo reglamento en donde se visualicen todos los requerimientos de un biobanco a nivel público y privado.

Aim: To analyze the bioethical and bio juridical framework regarding biobanks in the Pathology Departments. Methods: Descriptive bibliographical revision of relevant information regarding bioethics and bio law with focus on the pathological anatomy services. Local laws, international laws and normative linked to biobanks and data bases were taken into consideration. Text books from the Universidad de Costa Rica`s Library, Documentation and Information System were consulted and also digital platforms as Academic Google and PubMed. Results: A new tool of scientific interest has emerged internationally with the medical advancement in the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic techniques: the establishment of tissue biobanks to preserve biological samples for molecular studies and research. This brought with it a number of questions relevant to bioethics and biolaw related to human rights and the respect for human dignity. In order to establish a biobank in a pathological anatomy department, it is essential to know, how to manage and implement the national and international regulations related to informed consent and the protection of data linked to biological samples. Conclusions: National and international guidelines for using biological samples stored in pathology departments for research purposes must be followed. They must regulate the management, use and storage of samples. Also, the informed consent and the protection and confidentiality of the data regarding the incumbent people in biomedical research must be take into consideration. In Costa Rica, the ethical and juridical framework related to the biomedical research establishes the parameters of biospecimens in clinical rehearsals but there is not a national legislation regarding biobanks. Because of that, is that is recommended a regulation that must include all the requirements for a biobank either in the public and private spectrum; such as a national law and formal regulation.

Synovial chondrosarcoma: a single-institution experience with molecular investigations and review of the literature.

AIMS: To evaluate the available diagnostic histological criteria for synovial chondrosarcoma and to screen for the presence of IDH1/IDH2 mutations in a series of cases of this malignant cartilaginous neoplasm. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten cases of synovial chondrosarcoma diagnosed at our institute were reviewed. At presentation, all tumours occurred in adults (median age, 62 years). The most common location was the knee joint (five cases), and the size at diagnosis ranged from 30 mm to 170 mm. Eight patients had secondary synovial chondrosarcomas associated with pre-existing/recurrent or concomitant synovial chondromatosis. Five patients had local recurrences and three had lung metastases. All patients with intralesional excisions developed local recurrences, whereas those who underwent wide resections did not. At last follow-up (mean, 91 months), available for nine patients, seven patients were alive and disease-free, one patient had died of disease, and one was alive with paravertebral metastases. Frequent histological features observed included loss of clustering of chondrocytes (nine cases), the presence of variable amounts of myxoid matrix (eight cases), peripheral hypercellularity (eight cases), tumour necrosis (six cases), and spindling of chondrocytes (four cases). Of the seven cases for which it was possible to evaluate bone permeation, six showed infiltration of bone marrow. All seven cases screened for mutations of exon 4 of IDH1 and IDH2 were found to be wild-type. CONCLUSIONS: Histological criteria in correlation with clinical and radiological features allow the recognition of synovial chondrosarcoma. IDH1/IDH2 mutations were not present in synovial chondrosarcoma. Adequate surgical margins are important for disease control.