CD47 and CD36 expressions in the placenta of mothers with chorioamnionitis.

INTRODUCTION: Chorioamnionitis is the inflammation of the placenta and is histologically defined as the presence of neutrophilic infiltration into the chorio-amnion membrane with and without involvement of the umbilical cord. Currently, the inflammatory mediators involved in the eliciting of inflammatory response is still largely under investigation. CD47 and CD36 are pro-inflammatory molecules that are still under investigation. The aim of this study was to determine the expressions of CD47 and CD36 in the placenta of mothers with chorioamnionitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, involving a total of 100 cases that comprised of acute subchorionitis (stage I, n=20), acute chorioamnionitis (stage II, n=20), acute necrotising chorioamnionitis (stage III, n=20) and non-chorioamnionitis placenta as control (n=40). All tissue blocks were retrieved from the archived pathology record over a period of 4 years. CD36 and CD47 immunohistochemistry were performed on all cases and their expression in various cell types on the placenta were analysed. RESULTS: CD36 was expressed only on the foetal vascular endothelial cells. Interestingly, CD47 showed positive staining on the neutrophils and its expression was significantly different between maternal inflammatory response stage II chorioamnionitis (n=13/20, p<0.001) with stage I and stage III chorioamnionitis. DISCUSSION: Our study showed CD47 was expressed in the neutrophils and it was associated with poorer perinatal outcomes and it may have a role in the pathogenesis of chorioamnionitis.

The prognostic significance of HER2 expression in urothelial carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Urothelial carcinoma poses a great challenge in disease management due to the high recurrence rate and a greater likelihood of disease progression. HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is one of the proteins variably expressed in urothelial carcinoma, prompting its investigation as a potential predictive marker. The aim of this study was to assess the HER2 status in urothelial carcinoma, its correlation with tumour grade, tumour stage, recurrence and progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 69 specimens of transurethral resection or cystectomy in patients with urothelial carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry for HER2 was performed and the expressions were correlated with tumour grade, tumour stage, presence of recurrence and tumour progression. Staining was evaluated according to the same criteria of breast cancer. Scores of 2+ and 3+ were considered positive. The data were analysed using the chi-square test with statistical significance set at P <0.05. RESULTS: Positive HER2 expression was found in 13 cases (18.8%). HER2 positivity was significantly associated with high-grade tumours (P=0.005). However, there is no significant association with tumour stage, recurrence or progression. CONCLUSION: HER2 is potentially a good immunohistochemical marker for identifying patients with higher-grade urothelial carcinoma and stratifying patients for future targeted therapy.

Stromal expression of CD10 in invasive breast carcinoma and its association with tumour stage, grade, ER, PR and HER2 status.

INTRODUCTION: Tumour microenvironment (TME) has been postulated to be involved in cancer development and disease progression. Studies have shown CD10 expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) within TME is associated with aggressive biological behaviour and poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate stromal CD10 expression in invasive breast cancer and its correlation with tumour stage, grade, Estrogen receptor (ER), Progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 226 invasive breast carcinoma cases were selected and assembled into tissue microarrays (TMAs). The stromal expression of CD10 was immunohistochemically analysed. RESULTS: Stromal CD10 was positive in 67 (29.6%) cases of invasive breast carcinoma. The frequency of positive stromal staining was significantly higher in the cases with ER-negative (P=0.000). CD10 stromal negativity was significantly higher in luminaltype cases (P=0.001). However, there was no correlation between stromal CD10 expression with tumour grade, stage, PR and HER2 status. CONCLUSION: Positive CD10 stromal expression correlates with ER-negative invasive breast carcinomas, while negative CD10 stromal expression correlates with luminal type invasive breast carcinomas. This demonstrates that stromal CD10 expression within the TME constitutes a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Future studies are necessary to evaluate other stromal markers within the TME immunohistochemically as well as its molecular basis in order to confirm the definite role of stromal CD10.

Parotid gland oncocytic carcinoma: A rare entity in head and neck region.

Oncocytic carcinoma of the salivary gland is an uncommon tumour in the head and neck region. Owing to its rarity, identifying the histopathological features of a malignant tumour can be difficult and challenging. We report a case of a 70-year-old man who presented with a left facial weakness for six months in a background history of left parotid swelling over the past 10 years. Clinical examination revealed a 3x3cm left parotid mass and grade 4 facial nerve palsy. Fine needle aspiration of the mass showed scattered cohesive, monolayered sheets of uniform oncocytic cells. Subsequently, a left total parotidectomy and selective neck dissection were performed. Histological examination showed sheets of small oncocytes with minimal nuclear atypia. Evidence of nerve entrapment, capsular invasion and perivascular permeation were identified in focal areas. Thus, a final diagnosis of oncocytic carcinoma was rendered.

Oesophageal hepatoid carcinoma with liver metastasis, a diagnostic dilemma.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing carcinoma which microscopically mimics hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare entity known as hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HC). They usually arise in the stomach, while oesophageal origin is only occasionally encountered. This tumour is highly aggressive and is associated with a poor prognosis. They frequently metastasise to the liver, thus giving rise to diagnostic difficulty, especially in cases where simultaneous oesophageal and liver mass are present. We reported a case of oesophageal hepatoid carcinoma with multiple liver metastasis, that was associated with an increased serum AFP. The distinction between HCC and HC is important because HC is more aggressive and has a poorer prognosis with limited therapeutic options. An extensive diagnostic work-up which include a thorough clinical history, radiological investigations (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) as well as tissue biopsy supported by a panel of immunohistochemical markers are necessary to aid in the diagnosis of HC.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the small intestine in a patient with refractory coeliac disease.

INTRODUCTION: Coeliac disease enteropathy is associated with an increased risk of lymphomas. Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma is the principal malignancy related to coeliac disease. However, studies have shown that other types of lymphoma such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may also be associated with coeliac disease. CASE REPORT: We report a 54-year-old Caucasian man who presented with chronic diarrhoea and weight loss. He was diagnosed with coeliac disease based on positive serology results and duodenal, jejunal, and ileal biopsies that showed villous atrophy. Despite adherence to a gluten-free diet, there was no clinical remission and enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma was suspected. Repeated endoscopic biopsy showed persistent mucosal disease but no evidence of lymphoma. Several weeks later he presented with a perforated jejunum. Histology of the resected jejunum showed diffuse infiltration of submucosa and muscularis propria by malignant lymphoid cells sparing the mucosa. The cells expressed CD20, CD79α, CD10 and BCL6 and ki67 of 80%, consistent with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. DISCUSSION: It is suspected that the undetected lymphoma may have contributed to the persistent malabsorption syndrome rendering the patient unresponsive to treatment. Despite thorough clinical and endoscopic evaluation and multiple biopsies, histologic diagnosis of DLBCL was only confirmed following resection of the perforated jejunum.

Histopathological diagnoses in soft tissue tumours: an experience from a tertiary centre in Malaysia.

Soft tissue tumours are a group of remarkably diverse neoplasms that frequently pose significant diagnostic challenges to general pathologists. This study aimed to compare the agreement of histopathological diagnoses between general pathologists from various referral institutes and the referred soft tissue pathologist in a tertiary centre. The common discrepancies and their causes are also presented here. A retrospective study was conducted on 243 cases of potential soft tissue tumours referred to Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia over a period of 5 years. Reports by the referring pathologists and the soft tissue pathologist were compared based on tumour classification and tumour behaviour. Overall, there was moderate agreement in soft tissue tumour diagnoses in both tumour classification (weighted κ = 0.423) and tumour behavior (weighted κ = 0.548). The highest agreement of tumour classification was seen in the adipocytic tumours (21/28 cases), Ewing sarcoma (5/7 cases) and smooth-muscle tumours (3/5 cases). The highest rates of discrepancies were the so-called fibrohistiocytic tumours (7/11 cases), vascular tumours (9/15 cases) and undifferentiated/ unclassified sarcomas (19/32 cases). Full agreement for tumour behaviour was seen in 178 cases and there were 21 cases of zero agreement. Liposarcoma, alveolar soft part sarcoma and benign fibrous histiocytoma were the most frequent benign/malignant diagnostic discrepancies. The most common causes of discrepancy were wrong morphological interpretation followed by insufficient immunohistochemical stains performed. In conclusion, review of diagnosis by a pathologist specialized in soft tissue improves the quality of diagnosis in these heterogenous and rare tumours. A good panel of immunohistochemical stains with additional molecular study is crucial in the general hospital laboratories practice.