The association of the microcystic, elongated and fragmented (MELF) invasion pattern in endometrial carcinomas with deep myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion and lymph node metastasis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of microcystic, elongated and fragmented (MELF) pattern of invasion in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas (EA) and its association with prognostic factors. Stained tissue sections from 121 cases of EA (total hysterectomy and pelvic, with or without para-aortic, lymphadenectomy specimens) were reviewed to identify cases showing MELF-type invasion. The prognostic factors of low tumour grade, deep myometrial invasion (MI), cervical stromal involvement, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), lymph node (LN) metastasis and advanced clinical stage were more frequently observed in MELF-positive cases (p < 0.05). Thus, MELF-positive cases had an increased frequency (28/121) of these prognostic factors, which has implications in routine clinical practice, as it signals the importance of recognising MELF pattern invasion. In univariate analysis, MELF positivity, deep MI, cervical stroma involvement and LVSI were significantly related to LN metastasis (p < 0.05). However, in multivariate analysis, only MELF pattern invasion and cervical stroma involvement were independent factors for LN metastasis. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of MELF pattern of invasion in endometrial adenocarcinoma.

The association of the cribriform pattern with outcome for prostatic adenocarcinomas.

With the revision of the Gleason system at the 2005 International Society of Urological Pathology Consensus Conference, there was consensus that most cribriform glands should be classified as pattern 4. There is now increased understanding that invasive cribriform carcinoma is a relatively aggressive disease. This study was based on 233 radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens collected at the Department of Pathology, Umraniye Education and Research Hospital, from 2006 to 2013. We assessed the cribriform foci associated with the more definitive patterns 3, 4, and 5 elsewhere on the RP specimens and evaluated the association of the presence of cribriform pattern (CP) with biochemical prostate-specific antigen recurrence (BPR). In Cox regression model, taking into account the Gleason score (GS), pathologic stage, surgical margin (SM) status, presence of a CP, and preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a positive SM, and the presence of a CP were independent predictors of BPR after RP. We observed BPR more frequently in GS 3+3 cases with a CP than in those without a CP (p=0.008). There was no significant difference in BPR status for cases with GS 3+4, 4+3, 4+5, and 5+4 when the patients were stratified by the presence of a CP. On the basis of these data, we suggest that the classification of CP into Gleason pattern 4 has value in predicting BPR status after RP. However, as many of these modifications are empirical and supported by only a few studies, long-term follow-up studies with clinical endpoints are necessary to validate these recommendations.