Pathology Residents' Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Breast Pathology: A National Survey.

CONTEXT.­: Breast pathology (BP) is considered to be subject to interobserver variability among pathologists, emphasizing the need for adequate training. However, specifics of BP residency training have not been elucidated. OBJECTIVE.­: To assess the characteristics of BP residency training in the United States. DESIGN.­: A Qualtrics-managed online survey was emailed to program directors of all US pathology residency programs, requesting them to forward the survey link to their pathology residents. RESULTS.­: One hundred seventeen residents' survey responses were evaluable. Most responses (92; 79%) came from residents in university hospital-based programs. Thirty-five respondents (30%) had a dedicated BP rotation in their program. Most respondents believed that BP was an important part of training (96 of 100; 96%) and pathology practice (95 of 100; 95%). Seventy-one respondents believed that their BP training was adequate overall (71 of 100; 71%). Forty-one percent of respondents indicated that they would not like BP to be a significant part of their future practice. The main reasons given were that they had a different preferred area of interest, that they lacked interest in BP, or that breast cases were time-consuming to sign out. CONCLUSIONS.­: Our results show that in the United States, most programs do not offer a dedicated BP rotation, but breast cases are signed out by subspecialized or experienced breast pathologists. In addition, most respondents believed that they received adequate training and would be competent to independently sign out BP in the future. Additional studies addressing new-in-practice pathologists' proficiency in BP will further help elucidate the quality of BP training in the United States.

Oncolytic T-VEC virotherapy plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy in nonmetastatic triple-negative breast cancer: a phase 2 trial.

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is an oncolytic virus hypothesized to enhance triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This article describes the phase 2 trial of T-VEC plus NAC (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02779855 ). Patients with stage 2-3 TNBC received five intratumoral T-VEC injections with paclitaxel followed by doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide and surgery to assess residual cancer burden index (RCB). The primary end point was RCB0 rate. Secondary end points were RCB0-1 rate, recurrence rate, toxicity and immune correlates. Thirty-seven patients were evaluated. Common T-VEC toxicities were fevers, chills, headache, fatigue and injection site pain. NAC toxicities were as expected. Four thromboembolic events occurred. The primary end point was met with an estimated RCB0 rate = 45.9% and RCB0-1 descriptive rate = 65%. The 2-year disease-free rate is equal to 89% with no recurrences in RCB0-1 patients. Immune activation during treatment correlated with response. T-VEC plus NAC in TNBC may increase RCB0-1 rates. These results support continued investigation of T-VEC plus NAC for TNBC.

Clinicopathologic Predictors of Clinical Outcomes in Mammary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A Multi-institutional Study.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is an uncommon type of invasive breast carcinoma with a favorable prognosis. However, some cases are aggressive. The study aims to define the clinicopathologic predictors of outcome. Clinical, radiological, and pathologic variables were recorded for 76 AdCC cases from 11 institutions. The following histologic characteristics were evaluated by the breast pathologist in each respective institution, including Nottingham grade (NG), percentages of various growth patterns (solid, cribriform, trabecular-tubular), percentage of basaloid component, tumor borders (pushing, infiltrative), perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, necrosis, and distance from the closest margin. Various grading systems were evaluated, including NG, salivary gland-type grading systems, and a new proposed grading system. The new grading system incorporated the growth pattern (percent solid, percent cribriform), percent basaloid morphology, and mitotic count using the Youden index criterion. All variables were correlated with recurrence-free survival. Nineteen (25%) women developed local and/or distant recurrence. Basaloid morphology (≥25% of the tumor) was identified in 20 (26.3%) cases and a solid growth pattern (using ≥60% cutoff) in 22 (28.9%) cases. In the univariate analysis, the following variables were significantly correlated with worse recurrence-free survival: solid growth pattern, basaloid morphology, lymphovascular invasion, necrosis, perineural invasion, and pN-stage. In the multivariate analysis including basaloid morphology, pN-stage, lymphovascular invasion, and perineural invasion, basaloid morphology was statistically significant, with a hazard ratio of 3.872 (95% CI, 1.077; 13.924; P =.038). The NG and the new grading system both correlated with recurrence-free survival. However, grade 2 had a similar risk as grade 3 in the NG system and a similar risk as grade 1 in the new grading system. For solid growth patterns and basaloid morphology, using a 2-tier system with 1 cutoff was better than a 3-tier system with 2 cutoffs. Basaloid morphology and solid growth pattern have prognostic values for AdCC, with a 2-tier grading system performing better than a 3-tier system.

Ethnic and racial-specific differences in levels of centrosome-associated mitotic kinases, proliferative and epithelial-to-mesenchymal markers in breast cancers.

Molecular epidemiology evidence indicates racial and ethnic differences in the aggressiveness and survival of breast cancer. Hispanics/Latinas (H/Ls) and non-Hispanic Black women (NHB) are at higher risk of breast cancer (BC)-related death relative to non-Hispanic white (NHW) women in part because they are diagnosed with hormone receptor-negative (HR) subtype and at higher stages. Since the cell cycle is one of the most commonly deregulated cellular processes in cancer, we propose that the mitotic kinases TTK (or Mps1), TBK1, and Nek2 could be novel targets to prevent breast cancer progression among NHBs and H/Ls. In this study, we calculated levels of TTK, p-TBK1, epithelial (E-cadherin), mesenchymal (Vimentin), and proliferation (Ki67) markers through immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of breast cancer tissue microarrays (TMAs) that includes samples from 6 regions in the Southeast of the United States and Puerto Rico -regions enriched with NHB and H/L breast cancer patients. IHC analysis showed that TTK, Ki67, and Vimentin were significantly expressed in triple-negative (TNBC) tumors relative to other subtypes, while E-cadherin showed decreased expression. TTK correlated with all of the clinical variables but p-TBK1 did not correlate with any of them. TCGA analysis revealed that the mRNA levels of multiple mitotic kinases, including TTK, Nek2, Plk1, Bub1, and Aurora kinases A and B, and transcription factors that are known to control the expression of these kinases (e.g. FoxM1 and E2F1-3) were upregulated in NHBs versus NHWs and correlated with higher aneuploidy indexes in NHB, suggesting that these mitotic kinases may be future novel targets for breast cancer treatment in NHB women.

Association of Residual Ductal Carcinoma In Situ With Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Neoadjuvant I-SPY2 Trial.

Importance: Pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer strongly correlates with overall survival and has become the standard end point in neoadjuvant trials. However, there is controversy regarding whether the definition of pCR should exclude or permit the presence of residual ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Objective: To examine the association of residual DCIS in surgical specimens after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer with survival end points to inform standards for the assessment of pathologic complete response. Design, Setting, and Participants: The study team analyzed the association of residual DCIS after NAC with 3-year event-free survival (EFS), distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS), and local-regional recurrence (LRR) in the I-SPY2 trial, an adaptive neoadjuvant platform trial for patients with breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. This is a retrospective analysis of clinical specimens and data from the ongoing I-SPY2 adaptive platform trial of novel therapeutics on a background of standard of care for early breast cancer. I-SPY2 participants are adult women diagnosed with stage II/III breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. Interventions: Participants were randomized to receive taxane and anthracycline-based neoadjuvant therapy with or without 1 of 10 investigational agents, followed by definitive surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures: The presence of DCIS and EFS, DRFS, and LRR. Results: The study team identified 933 I-SPY2 participants (aged 24 to 77 years) with complete pathology and follow-up data. Median follow-up time was 3.9 years; 337 participants (36%) had no residual invasive disease (residual cancer burden 0, or pCR). Of the 337 participants with pCR, 70 (21%) had residual DCIS, which varied significantly by tumor-receptor subtype; residual DCIS was present in 8.5% of triple negative tumors, 15.6% of hormone-receptor positive tumors, and 36.6% of ERBB2-positive tumors. Among those participants with pCR, there was no significant difference in EFS, DRFS, or LRR based on presence or absence of residual DCIS. Conclusions and Relevance: The analysis supports the definition of pCR as the absence of invasive disease after NAC regardless of the presence or absence of DCIS. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01042379.

Malignant Adenomyoepithelioma of the Breast and Associated Epithelial-Myoepithelial Carcinoma; A Rare Case Report.

Adenomyoepithelioma comprises a spectrum of lesions with variable morphology and clinical behavior, presenting at a wide age range. The most common presenting symptom is palpable abnormality. Mammographic abnormalities include focal asymmetries, masses and microcalcifications. Adenomyoepithelioma is a biphasic neoplasm characterized by proliferation of epithelial and myoepithelial cells. Adenomyoepitheliomas can be benign, atypical and malignant (adenomyoepithelioma with carcinoma). Malignant transformation occurs in either one or both cellular components leading to the development of invasive carcinoma. Invasive carcinoma types include invasive breast carcinoma of no special type, invasive lobular carcinoma, invasive carcinoma of special types, myoepithelial carcinoma, metaplastic carcinoma and biphasic carcinoma such as epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma. While the majority of classic adenomyoepitheliomas have a benign clinical course and can be treated by local excision, local recurrence and distant metastasis have been reported. In malignant cases, treatment is determined by the associated carcinoma to include radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection, as indicated. Herein we report a case of a 62 year old woman who was found to have focal asymmetry on screening mammogram. She underwent a core biopsy of the lesion which showed atypical epithelial-myoepithelial neoplasm and excision was recommended. Upon excision, a diagnosis of malignant adenomyoepithelioma with associated epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma was rendered with negative margins. The patient declined additional surgery for sentinel lymph node biopsy and declined adjuvant therapy. Six months after surgery, the patient is doing well with no complains. A follow-up mammogram and ultrasound of the axilla showed no abnormalities.

Unique ER PR expression pattern in breast cancers with CHEK2 mutation: a hormone receptor and HER2 analysis based on germline cancer predisposition genes.

PURPOSE: Estrogen-receptor (ER) and progesterone-receptor (PR) expression levels in breast cancer, which have been principally compared via binomial descriptors, can vary widely across tumors. We sought to characterize ER and PR expression levels using semi-quantitative analyses of receptor staining in germline pathogenic variant (PV) carriers of cancer predisposition genes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent germline genetic testing for cancer predisposition genes at a tertiary cancer center genetics clinic. We performed comparisons of semi-quantitative ER and PR percentage staining levels across carriers and non-carriers of cancer predisposition genes. RESULTS: Breast cancers from BRCA1 PV carriers expressed significantly lower ER (15.2% vs 78.2%, p < 0.001) and lower PR (6.8% vs 41.1%, p < 0.001) staining compared to non-PV carriers. Similarly, breast cancers of BRCA2 (66.7% vs 78.2%, p = 0.005) and TP53 (50.6% vs 78.2%, p = 0.015) PV tumors also displayed moderate decreases in ER staining. Conversely, CHEK2 tumors displayed higher ER (93.1% vs 78.2%, p = 0.005) and PR (72% vs 48.8%, p = 0.001) staining when compared to non-PV carriers. We observed a wide range of dispersion across the ER and PR staining levels of the carriers and noncarriers. ER and PR ranges of dispersion of CHEK2 tumors were uniquely narrower than all other groups. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study suggest that precise expression levels of ER and PR in breast cancers can vary widely. These differences are further augmented when comparing expression staining across PV and non-PV carriers, suggesting potentially unique tumorigenesis and progression pathways influenced by germline cancer predisposition genes.

MRI Response to Pre-operative Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) in Early Stage ER/PR+ HER2- Breast Cancer correlates with Surgical Pathology Tumor Bed Cellularity.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates breast MRI response of ER/PR+ HER2- breast tumors to pre-operative SABR with pathologic response correlation. METHODS: Women enrolled in a phase 2 single institution trial of SABR for ER/PR+ HER2- breast cancer were retrospectively evaluated for radiologic-pathologic correlation of tumor response. These patients underwent baseline breast MRI, SABR (28.5 Gy in 3 fractions), follow-up MRI 5 to 6 weeks post-SABR, and lumpectomy. Tumor size and BI-RADS descriptors on pre and post-SABR breast MRIs were compared to determine correlation with surgical specimen % tumor cellularity (%TC). Reported MRI tumor dimensions were used to calculate percent cubic volume remaining (%VR). Partial MRI response was defined as a BI-RADs descriptor change or %VR ≤ 70%, while partial pathologic response (pPR) was defined as %TC ≤ 70%. RESULTS: Nineteen patients completed the trial, and %TC ranged 10% to 80%. For BI-RADS descriptor analysis, 12 of 19 (63%) showed change in lesion or kinetic enhancement descriptors post-SABR. This was associated with lower %TC (29% vs. 47%, P = .042). BI-RADS descriptor change analysis also demonstrated high PPV (100%) and specificity (100%) for predicting pPR to treatment (sensitivity 71%, accuracy 74%), but low NPV (29%). MRI %VR demonstrated strong linear correlation with %TC (R = 0.70, P < .001, Pearson's Correlation) and high accuracy (89%) for predicting pPR (sensitivity 88%, specificity 100%, PPV 100%, and NPV 50%). CONCLUSION: Evaluating breast cancer response on MRI using %VR after pre-operative SABR treatment can help identify patients benefiting the most from neoadjuvant radiation treatment of their ER/PR+ HER2- tumors, a group in which pCR to neoadjuvant therapy is rare.

Quantitative Changes in Intratumoral Habitats on MRI Correlate With Pathologic Response in Early-stage ER/PR+ HER2- Breast Cancer Treated With Preoperative Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy.

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate intratumoral habitats on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) breast MRI to predict pathologic breast cancer response to stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR). Methods: Participants underwent SABR treatment (28.5 Gy x3), baseline and post-SABR MRI, and breast-conserving surgery for ER/PR+ HER2- breast cancer. MRI analysis was performed on DCE T1-weighted images. MRI voxels were assigned eight habitats based on high (H) or low (L) maximum enhancement and the sequentially numbered dynamic sequence of maximum enhancement (H1-4, L1-4). MRI response was analyzed by percent tumor volume remaining (%VR = volume post-SABR/volume pre-SABR), and percent habitat makeup (%HM of habitat X = habitat X voxels/total voxels in the segmented volume). These were correlated with percent tumor bed cellularity (%TC) for pathologic response. Results: Sixteen patients completed the trial. The %TC ranged 20%-80%. MRI %VR demonstrated strong correlations with %TC (Pearson R = 0.7-0.89). Pre-SABR tumor %HMs differed significantly from whole breasts (P = 0.005 to <0.00001). Post-SABR %HM of tumor habitat H4 demonstrated the largest change, increasing 13% (P = 0.039). Conversely, combined %HM for H1-3 decreased 17% (P = 0.006). This change correlated with %TC (P < 0.00001) and distinguished pathologic partial responders (≤70 %TC) from nonresponders with 94% accuracy, 93% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 67% negative predictive value. Conclusion: In patients undergoing preoperative SABR treatment for ER/PR+ HER2- breast cancer, quantitative MRI habitat analysis of %VR and %HM change correlates with pathologic response.

Nivolumab and Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Patients With Breast Cancer Brain Metastases: A Nonrandomized, Open-Label Phase 1b Study.

PURPOSE: We hypothesize treatment with nivolumab and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) will be feasible and well tolerated, and may improve intracranial tumor control rates compared with SRS alone. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study was designed as a prospective, single-arm, nonrandomized, open-label, phase 1b trial of nivolumab and SRS among patients with metastatic breast cancer brain metastases. Key eligibility criteria included patients with breast cancer brain metastases of all subtypes, age ≥18, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status ≤2 with ≤10 brain metastases. Treatment was initiated with a dose of nivolumab (480 mg intravenously) that was repeated every 4 weeks. The initial dose of nivolumab was followed 1 week later by SRS. This study is closed to accrual and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03807765. RESULTS: Between February 2019 and July 2020, a total of 12 patients were treated to 17 lesions. No dose limiting toxicities were noted in our patient population. The most common neurologic adverse events included grade 1 to 2 headaches and dizziness occurring in 5 (42%) of patients. Median intracranial control was 6.2 months (95% confidence interval, 3-14 months) with 6- and 12-month control rates of 55% and 22%, respectively. A total of 4 patients had systemic progression during the study. Median time to systemic progression free survival has not been reached with 6- and-12 month rates of 63% and 51%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nivolumab and SRS is a safe and feasible treatment option in breast cancer brain metastases. Preliminary data reveals activity in certain breast cancer patients to study therapy.

Diffuse intrasinusoidal hepatic metastasis from breast cancer: Multimodality imaging with pathology correlation.

Metastatic disease to the liver is a known and common site of breast cancer spread, classically presenting as either hypovascular or hypervascular masses. Rarely, hepatic metastatic disease may have an atypical diffuse and intrasinusoidal pattern of involvement, which may be radiographically occult or extremely challenging to diagnose even with multiphase contrast enhanced techniques. We report a case of a 28-year-old female with stage III invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, who recently discontinued treatment due to pregnancy, presenting with progressive signs and symptoms of rapidly decompensating liver failure due to sinusoidal obstruction. Multimodality imaging was performed without evidence for focal hepatic metastatic disease; however, intrahepatic vein (IVC) compression was noted. Hepatic sinusoidal tumor infiltration was confirmed by liver biopsy. After palliative chemotherapy the disease became less infiltrative and more conspicuous on imaging, revealing itself as hepatic metastases, with decreased compression of the intrahepatic IVC and resolution of signs and symptoms of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.

Erroneous diagnosis of primary fibrosarcoma of the breast: The value of the multidisciplinary breast team approach.

Diagnostic errors occur in the preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic phases of specimen processing. Correlating clinical and imaging information with gross and microscopic findings is crucial to limit errors and unnecessary treatment. Herein, we report the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented with left breast bloody nipple discharge and subsequently underwent central duct excision. Pathology revealed a high-grade sarcoma. The patient presented to our institution for further management. Upon secondary pathology review and DNA fingerprinting analysis, the correct interpretation was rendered. Our case demonstrates the importance of clinical correlation and review of pathology slides prior to definitive therapy.

Adenomyoepithelioma of the breast: Case series and literature review.

Adenomyoepithelioma of the breast is a rare tumor consisting of both epithelial and myoepithelial cells. Malignant transformation of either cell line can occur. We describe the imaging features, clinical presentation, and management of seven cases of biopsy-proven adenomyoepithelioma at our institution.

A Phase I Trial of Talimogene Laherparepvec in Combination with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Nonmetastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE: Talimogene laherparepvec (TVEC) is an oncolytic herpes simplex 1 virus approved for treatment of melanoma. We hypothesized intratumoral TVEC may enhance response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This article reports the results of a trial combining NAC with TVEC for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with stage II-III TNBC enrolled in a 3+3 phase I trial (NCT02779855) of two TVEC dose levels [DL; DL 1 = 106 plaque-forming units (PFU) × 5 doses; DL 2 = 106 PFUs first dose, then 108 PFUs × 4 doses] on weeks 1, 4, 6, 8, and 10 plus weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) for 12 weeks, followed by doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (60/600 mg/m2) every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. Postoperative response assessment using residual cancer burden (RCB) was performed. Primary endpoints were safety and MTD. Secondary endpoints were RCB0 rate and immune correlates. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rule was grade 3-5 adverse events due to TVEC during first 5 weeks. RESULTS: Nine patients [DL 1 (n = 3); DL 2 (n = 6)] were enrolled. Six had stage II disease, and 3 had stage III (6 clinically N+). No DLTs occurred, and MTD was DL 2. Most common toxicities with TVEC were fever (n = 8), chills (n = 3), hematomas (n = 3), and injection site pain (n = 3). Thromboembolic events (n = 2) and bradycardia (n = 1) occurred during or after NAC. Five patients (55%) achieved RCB0, 2 had RCB1 (22%), and 2 had RCB2 (22%). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of TVEC to NAC was feasible at the approved dose, with manageable toxicity. The complete response rate was 55%.

Tumor size and focality in breast carcinoma: Analysis of concordance between radiological imaging modalities and pathological examination at a cancer center.

CONTEXT: Accurate assessment of clinical and pathological tumor stage is crucial for patient treatment and prognosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the concordance between the tumor size and focality between radiological studies and pathology and to evaluate the impact of discrepancies on staging. DESIGN: Patients who underwent surgery for invasive breast carcinoma from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2015, were identified. RESULTS: Three imaging modalities (mammogram, ultrasound and MRI) were compared with gross examination and final pathology. 1152 preoperative radiological studies were evaluated for focality and 1019 were evaluated for tumor size. For all 3 radiographic modalities, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean tumor size on radiology and the final pathology report (mammogram, P < .001; ultrasound, P = .004; MRI, P < .001). In 29% of radiology studies, there was a discrepancy in stage. The error rate for determining focality was 28% for mammograms, 27% for ultrasounds, and 29% for MRIs. Tumor size from gross examination correlated with microscopic tumor size in 57% of cases, but gross examination had 88% concordance with the final pathology report in determining focality. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed statistically significant differences in mean tumor size reported across all 3 imaging modalities when compared to the final pathology report. MRI had the highest error rate, with a tendency to overestimate tumor size and number of foci. Among all diagnoses, cases of invasive carcinoma with an extensive intraductal component were most prone to discrepancies with imaging.

Diffuse Intrasinusoidal Hepatic Metastasis from Breast Cancer Presenting as Liver Failure: Effective and Rapid Treatment with Weekly Low-Dose Adriamycin.

BACKGROUND Hepatic metastasis is well known in breast cancer. Approximately 12-20% of breast cancer patients will develop liver metastasis, which usually presents as discrete mass lesions. Rarely, metastatic spread can be so diffuse that it is unidentifiable on imaging but can progress to fulminant hepatic failure. Our case report suggests that clinicians need to have a high index of suspicion when patients present with rapidly decompensating liver failure in the absence of discrete radiologic hepatic lesions, and that weekly Adriamycin should be considered as a first-line therapeutic option. CASE REPORT A 28-year-old African American woman with a history of locally advanced estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-negative, and HER2-negative breast cancer presented with right upper quadrant abdominal pain and bilateral lower extremity swelling. She had been treated 3 years prior with neoadjuvant Adriamycin/cyclophosphamide - Taxol, bilateral mastectomies, radiation therapy, and tamoxifen. Diagnostic imaging revealed massive hepatomegaly and extensive areas of liver ischemia/necrosis without discrete masses or arterial/venous thrombosis. Biopsy of the liver revealed metastatic carcinoma diffusely infiltrating the hepatic sinusoids. Extensive work up for other etiologies of liver disease was negative. The patient's liver function quickly decompensated over several days. She was treated with weekly single-agent low-dose Adriamycin, and this resulted in successful reversal of her liver function tests back to baseline. CONCLUSIONS In addition to having a high index of suspicion for diffuse intrasinusoidal hepatic metastasis, physicians should consider weekly low-dose Adriamycin as a first-line therapeutic option for patients with progressive liver failure and biopsy-confirmed metastatic carcinoma diffusely infiltrating the hepatic sinusoids.

Suboptimal concordance in testing and retesting results of triple-negative breast carcinoma cases among laboratories: one institution experience.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast carcinoma (TNBC) patients do not benefit from hormone- or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2- (HER2-) targeted therapies. Accurate testing is pivotal for these patients. METHODS: TNBC cases that were retested at our institution during a 3-year period were evaluated for concordance rates in estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptor and HER2 results. RESULTS: We found 19 (22%) discrepancies (13 major/6 minor) among 86 cases. Minor discrepancies were in HER2 changes by immunohistochemistry, and all cases were demonstrated to be negative by and dual in situ hybridization. All major discrepancies were in ER/PR expression changes. In only 2 cases the treatment changed based on repeated results and/or patient history. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies in prognostic/predictive testing continue to be frequent despite rigorous regulations. However, since for the majority of patients in our setting, the treatment plan did not change, reflex retesting for TNBC has been deemed unnecessary in our institution.