Management of small testicular masses: outcomes from a single-centre specialist multidisciplinary team.

OBJECTIVES: To report the management outcomes of men with ≤20-mm small testicular masses (STMs) and to identify clinical and histopathological factors associated with malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of men managed at a single centre between January 2010 and December 2020 with a STM ≤20 mm in size was performed. RESULTS: Overall, 307 men with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 36 (30-44) years were included. Of these, 161 (52.4%), 82 (26.7%), 62 (20.2%) and 2 men (0.7%) underwent surveillance with interval ultrasonography (USS), primary excisional testicular biopsy (TBx) or primary radical orchidectomy (RO), or were discharged, respectively. The median (IQR) surveillance duration was 6 (3-18) months. The majority of men who underwent surveillance had lesions <5 mm (59.0%) and no lesion vascularity (67.1%) on USS. Thirty-three (20.5%) men undergoing surveillance had a TBx based on changes on interval USS or patient choice; seven (21.2%) were found to be malignant. The overall rate of malignancy in the surveillance cohort was 4.3%. The majority of men who underwent primary RO had lesions ≥10 mm (85.5%) and the presence of vascularity (61.7%) on USS. Nineteen men (23.2%) who underwent primary TBx (median lesion size 6 mm) had a malignancy confirmed on biopsy and underwent RO. A total of 88 men (28.7%) underwent RO, and malignancy was confirmed in 73 (83.0%) of them. The overall malignancy rate in the whole STM cohort was 23.8%. Malignant RO specimens had significantly larger lesion sizes (median [IQR] 11 [8-15] mm, vs benign: median [IQR] 8 [5-10] mm; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Small testicular masses can be stratified and managed based on lesion size and USS features. The overall malignancy rate in men with an STM was 23.8% (4.3% in the surveillance group). Surveillance should be considered in lesions <10 mm in size, with a TBx or frozen-section examination offered prior to RO in order to preserve testicular function.

Frozen-section examination in the management of paediatric testicular lesions.

PURPOSE: Paediatric testicular and para-testicular lesions have traditionally been managed according to adult protocols. Testis-sparing surgery (TSS) has gained popularity as it has become apparent benign lesions predominate in childhood. Frozen-section examination (FSE) for intra-operative diagnosis has been extensively utilised in adults, though its use in paediatric practice remains limited. We reviewed our experience of FSE in paediatric patients with an aim to identify the utility and efficacy of this tool in the management of testicular and para-testicular pathology. METHODS: A retrospective, single-centre review of paediatric patients who underwent intra-operative FSE for a range of testicular and para-testicular lesions was performed. FSE results were compared to final pathology. TSS was performed if appropriate, and was utilised in adolescent patients, and in lesions with a diameter greater than 20 mm. RESULTS: Nine males underwent FSE from 2013 to 2020. Median age at surgery was 9 years (range 1-15). Eight (89%) patients had benign pathology. FSE result correlated with the final pathological examination in 100% of cases. FSE facilitated TSS in 7/9 cases. CONCLUSION: FSE has 100% diagnostic accuracy for paediatric testicular and para-testicular pathology. We would recommend all lesions be evaluated by FSE to guide intra-operative decision making and facilitate TSS in appropriate cases.

Frozen Section of Placental Membranes and Umbilical Cord: A Valid Diagnostic Tool for Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis Management.

Early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS), a serious infection in newborns within 3 days, is challenging to diagnose. The current methods often lack accuracy, leading to unnecessary antibiotics or delayed treatment. This study investigates the role of the frozen section examination of placental membranes and umbilical cord (FSMU) to improve EONS diagnosis in the daily lab practice. This retrospective study reviewed data from 59 neonates with EONS risk factors who underwent FSMU according to our institutional protocol. Concordance between the FSMU and the Final Pathological Report (FPR) was assessed. The FSMU demonstrated a high concordance (Kappa = 0.88) for funisitis diagnosis, with excellent accuracy (98.3%). A moderate concordance was observed for chorioamnionitis stage and grade. The FSMU shows promise as a rapid and accurate tool for diagnosing EONS, particularly for funisitis. This study suggests that the FSMU could be a valuable tool for EONS diagnosis, enabling a more judicious antibiotic use and potentially improving outcomes for newborns.

Clinicopathological Factors Influencing Resection Margin Involvement During Mohs Micrographic Surgery for Skin Tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a specialized procedure for removing skin tumors. Intraoperative assessment of the resection margin (RM) status using frozen section examination is a crucial component of MMS. This study aimed to identify significant clinicopathological characteristics that could help surgeons determine the optimal surgical extent. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-one patients with primary skin tumors were included. The relationship between RM involvement and the clinico-pathological characteristics was analyzed for each histological type. RESULTS: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was significantly more likely to exhibit positive RMs and required additional excision during MMS compared to squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, the probability of RM involvement was significantly higher in high-risk BCC subtypes. CONCLUSION: When planning MMS, considering the histological type and presence of high-risk morphology may help surgeons perform more effective procedures.

Comparison of Multi-Gene Testing Data Between Fresh and Formalin-Fixed Specimens From Core Needle Biopsy in Patients With NSCLC.

Purpose: Currently, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens are the conventional material for gene testing for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In our study, we aimed to develop a quick gene testing procedure using fresh core needle biopsy samples from NSCLC patients. Methods: In total, 77 fresh NSCLC samples obtained from core needle biopsy were evaluated by frozen section examination. If the NSCLC diagnosis and adequate tumor cell counts were confirmed by histopathology, the fresh tissues were used to extract DNA and subsequent gene testing by ARMS-PCR. Meanwhile, the paired FFPE core needle biopsy samples from 30 NSCLC patients also underwent gene testing. Results: In total, 77 fresh samples showed an EGFR mutation rate of 61.0%, higher than the levels in the Asian. Following a comparison of gene testing results with fresh tissues and paired FFPE tissues from the 30 patients, no significant difference in the DNA concentration extracted from fresh tissues and FFPE tissues was found. However, DNA purity was significantly higher in fresh tissues than that in FFPE tissues. Gene testing detected the same gene mutations in 93.3% of cases in fresh tissues and paired FFPE tissues. The gene testing procedure using fresh biopsy samples greatly shortens the waiting time of patients. Conclusion: The multi-gene mutation testing using fresh core needle biopsy samples from NSCLC patients is a reasonable, achievable, and quick approach. Fresh tissues may serve as a potential alternative to FFPE tissues for gene testing in NSCLC patients.

Modulating the extension of thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma pre-operatively eligible for lobectomy: reliability of ipsilateral central neck dissection.

PURPOSE: Pre-operative work-up and macroscopic intraoperative inspection could overlook occult central neck nodal metastases in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). An occult N1a status is able to change the initial risk stratification in small, clinically unifocal PTC potentially scheduled for thyroid lobectomy (TL) making total thyroidectomy (TT) the preferable option. We aimed to verified the reliability of an intraoperative management protocol based on frozen section examination (FSE) of ipsilateral central neck nodes (IpsiCND) to identify, among patients scheduled for TL, those who could benefit of a more extensive surgical resection (TT plus bilateral central neck dissection -CND-). METHODS: Thirty PTC patients preoperatively classified as T1N0 underwent TL plus IpsiCND-FSE (TL-group). In case of positive FSE, TT plus bilateral CND was accomplished during the same surgical procedure. A comparative analysis was performed between TL-group and a control group (C-group), who underwent TT plus IpsiCND-FSE, matched by a propensity score analysis. RESULTS: Nodal metastases (>2 mm) were found at final histology in 5/30 patients in the TL-group and in 6/30 in the C-group (p = 1.00). Micrometastases (≤2 mm) were retrieved in 5/30 TL-group patients and in 4/30 C-group patients (p = 1.00). Final histology staged as pN1a 10 (33.3%) patients for each group. FSE correctly identified five patients with occult nodal metastases >2 mm (16.6%) in TL-group, who underwent TT plus bilateral CND during the same surgical procedure. No permanent complications occurred. At a mean follow-up of 22.2 months, no local and/or nodal recurrence were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative assessment of N status obtained with IpsiCND plus FSE allows for an accurate risk stratification. IpsiCND plus FSE real time modulated thyroidectomy seems a safe and effective surgical strategy reducing the need of a subsequent completion surgery and, theoretically, the risk of local recurrence.

Organ-Sparing Surgery in Testicular Tumor: Is This the Right Approach for Lesions ≤ 20 mm?

Background: This study was conducted in order to analyze factors predicting malignancy in patients undergoing organ-sparing surgery (OSS) for small testicular lesions. Methods: Patients with small (£20 mm) marker-negative clinical stage I testicular tumors were managed by OSS with tumor enucleation and frozen section examination (FSE) for the past 15 years at our institution. Benign and malignant cases were compared, focusing on preoperative and postoperative lesion sizes. Results: Eighty-nine patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. Ten (11.2%) of them were treated for synchronous bilateral tumors. Sixty-seven (67.7%) of ninety-nine lesions were benign, confirming a high concordance rate (98%) between FSE and final histology. Patients with benign tumors were significantly older than patients with malignant tumors (p = 0.026), and benign tumors were detected more frequently during urologic work-up of hormone disorders (p = 0.001). Preoperative tumor size was a strong predictor of malignancy (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.726; p < 0.001). According to the Youden index, the best cutoff to predict tumor dignity was 13.5 mm, resulting in a sensitivity and specificity of 53% and 85%, respectively. No cases of local recurrence or distant metastasis were confirmed after a median follow-up of 42 months. Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with previous reports, supporting an OSS approach in small testicular tumors whenever possible. Most tumors ≤ 20 mm were benign, and in the case of malignancy, OSS with FSE and consecutive orchiectomy is oncologically safe due to the high concordance rate of FSE and final histology, thus preventing a two-stage procedure.

Feasibility and safety of conservative surgery for the treatment of spermatic cord leiomyosarcoma.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and the safety of conservative surgery to treat spermatic cord leiomyosarcoma. METHODS: Patients undergoing inguinoscrotal exploration in 10 different Urological Centers with diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma were enrolled. Preoperative evaluation included physical examination, Scrotal US, Abdominal CT and Scrotal MRI in selected cases. Patients underwent organ sparing surgery or orchiectomy in case of intraoperative FSE was positive for a local infiltration. Data collected were: age, presence of infiltration, length of the lesion, number of lesions, definitive histological outcome, pre and postoperative testosterone level. Follow up was performed with abdomen CT scan and scrotal US. RESULTS: From January 2007 to December 2013, 23 patients (mean age: 64.7 yrs) were diagnosed with spermatic cord leiomyosarcoma. Each patients underwent scrotal US. 10 patients underwent radical orchiectomy and 13 patients underwent conservative surgery. Mean follow up was 36.5 months. 5 patients (21.7%) developed a recurrent disease, 18 patients (78.3%) had a negative follow up (mean time: 40.8 months). Statistical analysis reveals that there is a significant correlation between number of lesions, length of the lesions and recurrent disease. CONCLUSIONS: Spermatic cord leiomyosarcoma is a rare disease. Conservative surgical treatment of spermatic cord leiomyosarcoma is a feasible therapeutic option for small, single and not infiltrating lesion.

The utility of frozen section examination for determining the extent of thyroidectomy in patients with a thyroid nodule and "atypia/follicular lesion of undetermined significance".

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of frozen section examination (FSE) for determining the extent of thyroidectomy in patients with nodular thyroid disease and fine-needle aspiration categorized as atypia/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AFLUS). METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients operated on for a thyroid nodule and AFLUS was completed to determine the role of clinical examination and FSE in intraoperative decision making. RESULTS: One hundred twenty patients with AFLUS underwent thyroidectomy; 18 (15%) had carcinoma. FSE altered management in 36 (62%) of the 58 patients-32 with benign disease and 4 with cancer who underwent lobectomy and total thyroidectomy, respectively. Total thyroidectomy without FSE was performed in 61 (51%) patients with sonographically confirmed bilateral disease. FSE had a 36.4% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, 87% negative predictive value, and 88% accuracy. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound in combination with FSE is of value for determining the extent of thyroidectomy in patients with AFLUS.

Long-term follow-up using testicle-sparing surgery for Leydig cell tumor.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to perform a long-term evaluation of conservative surgical treatment of Leydig cell tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter retrospective clinical study was performed at 6 European centers. Case files of all patients diagnosed with Leydig cell tumor and treated with conservative surgery were examined. Patients underwent physical examination, hormone and tumor marker assays, scrotal and abdominal ultrasonography, chest radiography, and endocrinologic examination. RESULTS: From 1987 to 2006, 22 patients with Leydig cell tumor underwent conservative surgery. Mean patient age was 35 years (range, 5-61 years). Mean follow-up was 180 months (range, 77-290 months). No local recurrence or metastasis was observed. Patients presented with a palpable testicular nodule (3 patients [13.7%]), a nodule diagnosed by ultrasonography (15 patients [68.2%]), gynecomastia (2 patients [9.1%]), precocious pseudopuberty (1 patient [4.5%]), or scrotal pain (1 patient [4.5%]). Diagnosis after frozen section examination was Leydig cell tumor in 20 of 22 patients (91%). Mean histologic size of the nodule was 1.11 cm. Follow-up was conducted for all patients every 3 to 6 months, with physical examination, tumor marker assays, scrotal and abdominal ultrasonography, chest radiography, and computed tomography (CT). No local recurrences or metastases were observed. One hundred percent of patients are still alive with a 100% disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: When diagnosed and treated early, long-term favorable outcomes are seen at follow-up in Leydig cell tumors, even with its potential metastatic behavior. In these patients, testicle-sparing surgery proved to be a feasible and safe choice and could be regarded as the first line of therapy.

Clinical value of central lymph node dissection and intraoperative frozen-section examination in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective: To evaluate central lymph node dissection (CLND) and intraoperative frozen-section examination in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Methods: Clinical data and neck lymph node metastasis of 187 PTMC patients treated by the same surgeon from October 2012 to November 2015 in Department of Endocrine Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Postoperative pathology inspection confirmed that 94 of the 187 patients were accompanied with lymph node metastasis in central region, and the metastasis rate was 50.2%. Furthermore, lymph node metastasis rate in central region was not associated with gender and age (P>0.05), but the metastasis rates of the patients with multifocal lesion, tumor diameter greater than 5 mm, capsular invasion, or tumor location in the lower third of thyroid lobe were higher (P<0.05). Twenty-two cases of the 69 patients who underwent CLND were confirmed to have lymph node metastasis in this region. When the number of lymph node metastases in the central region was greater than or equal to 2, the cases were accompanied by increased risk of lymph node metastasis in the cervical region (P<0.05). The diagnosis level of lymph node metastasis in central region by intraoperative frozen-section examination was relatively higher than current cervical lymph node-negative (cN0) standard (P<0.05), which had lower false negative rate (20.2%) than current cN0 standard (88.8%) and was highly consistent with the postoperative pathology in central lymph node metastasis diagnosis (K=0.765, P=0.000). Conclusion: PTMC has high lymph node metastasis rate in the central region. Regular CLND is recommended. Intraoperative frozen-section examination can accurately evaluate cervical lymph node metastasis to help guide operation scope of thyroid and cervical lymph nodes.

Clinical value of central lymph node dissection and intraoperative frozen-section examination in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective·To evaluate central lymph node dissection (CLND) and intraoperative frozen-section examination in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).Methods· Clinical data and neck lymph node metastasis of 187 PTMC patients treated by the same surgeon from October 2012 to November 2015 in Department of Endocrine Breast Surgery,First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were analyzed retrospectively.Results · Postoperative pathology inspection confirmed that 94 of the 187 patients were accompanied with lymph node metastasis in central region,and the metastasis rate was 50.2％.Furthermore,lymph node metastasis rate in central region was not associated with gender and age (P＞0.05),but the metastasis rates of the patients with multifocal lesion,tumor diameter greater than 5 mm,capsular invasion,or tumor location in the lower third of thyroid lobe were higher (P＜0.05).Twenty-two cases of the 69 patients who underwent CLND were confirmed to have lymph node metastasis in this region.When the number of lymph node metastases in the central region was greater than or equal to 2,the cases were accompanied by increased risk of lymph node metastasis in the cervical region (P＜0.05).The diagnosis level of lymph node metastasis in central region by intraoperative frozen-section examination was relatively higher than current cervical lymph node-negative (cN0) standard (P＜0.05),which had lower false negative rate (20.2％) than current cN0 standard (88.8％) and was highly consistent with the postoperative pathology in central lymph node metastasis diagnosis (K=0.765,P=0.000).Conclusion· PTMC has high lymph node metastasis rate in the central region.Regular CLND is recommended.Intraoperative frozen-section examination can accurately evaluate cervical lymph node metastasis to help guide operation scope of thyroid and cervical lymph nodes.

The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and intraoperative frozen section examination in nodular thyroid disease / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

OBJECTIVES:To determine the diagnostic accuracy of combined ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (USG-FNAB) and intraoperative frozen section examinationin (FSE) in diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules.METHODOLOGY:Retrospective review of patients undergoing thyroidectomy with intraoperative frozen section examination following ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy were calculated with respect to final histology.RESULTS: A total of 2,239 nodules were subjected to USG-FNAB at the Diabetes, Thyroid and Endocrine Center, St. Luke's Medical Center between January 2007 and December 2009. Two hundred fifty-one nodules were surgically excised following USG-FNAB. Frozen section examinations were taken from 90 of 251 nodules. The USG-FNAB yielded 90.3% (n=1,721) adequate specimens and 9.7% (n=185) inadequate specimens. The histologic examination of the 251 surgically excised nodules revealed 182 (73%) benign and 69 (27%) malignant nodules. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy rate of USG-FNAB cytology are 70.3%, 92.8%, 76.5%, 90.4% and 87.2%, respectively. The diagnosis by frozen section was benign in 56 cases (62%), malignant in 10 cases (11%) and deferred in 24 cases (27%). By FSE, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy rate are 83.3%, 100%, 100%, 96.4% and 96.7%, respectively. A diagnostic accuracy of up to 97.2% was achieved when USG-FNAB and FSE were combined and when their findings were concordant. When USG-FNAB and FSE diagnoses were discordant, the FSE showed superior accuracy (83.3%) than cytology (16.7%). In the group of nodules with indeterminate or inadequate cytology, the diagnostic accuracy of frozen section is 100%.CONCLUSION:Ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy is an accurate preoperative test for the evaluation of nodular thyroid disease. It helps to distinguish malignant from benign lesions. The intraoperative frozen section is a valuable test for confirming the cytologic diagnosis. It is especially important in identifying malignant thyroid nodule in cases with indeterminate cytology. The combination of USG-FNAB and FSE greatly improves the accuracy rate in thyroid cancer detection.

The Role of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology and Frozen Section in the Operative Management of Thyroid Nodule / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Traditionally the extent of thyroidectomy in patients with nodular thyroid disease has been based on fine needle aspiration cytology and intraoperative frozen section examination. The value of routine frozen section examination for intraoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer and determination of extent of thyroidectomy is controversial and needs to be evaluated. METHODS: We reviewed the fine needle aspiration cytology, frozen section examination, and final pathology of 142 consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy for nodular thyroid mass in an 3-year period. The diagnosis were classified as indeterminant, benign, or malignant. The utility and impact of the diagnosis from fine needle aspiration or frozen section on the operative procedure performed was analyzed. RESULTS: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA) as a diagnostic test for thyroid nodules demonstrated an indeterminant rate of 23.9% (34 patients), with diagnostic accuracy of 93.9% for malignant disease. In frozen section (FS) results, the indeterminant rate was 19.7%, and the diagnostic accuracy 98.3% for malignant disease. Of the 50 patients with the benign results on FNA, 3 patients was diagnosed as malignancy on FS. Of the 34 patients with indeterminant results on FNA, the intraoperative FS diagnosis showed 16 patients of benign, 3 patients of malignancy, and diagnosis on 15 patients was deferred to permanent section; in 15 patients, benign disease was diagnosed in 12 patients, and 3 patients were diagnosed as malignancy. And one of 10 patients with inadequate result on FNA was diagnosed as malignancy on FS. Therefore the decision about the extent of surgical thyroid resection was changed in 7 patients (4.9%) based on the FS results, and including the 16 patients diagnosed as benign on FS with indeterminant results on FNA, overall, in 23 patients (16.2%) the intraoperative surgical decision was affected by FS. CONCLUSION: The fine needle aspiration cytology and intraoperative frozen section examination showed the limitation on diagnosis of follicular neoplasm, but intraoperative frozen section examination proved useful in determining the extent of operation and affected intraoperative decision making in thyroid surgery.