Development of squamous cell carcinoma in the setting of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus may be associated with plasmacytoid dendritic cell inflammation.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is the most common type of cutaneous lupus and is clinically characterized by alopecia, depigmentation, and scars on sun-exposed skin. Squamous cell carcinoma is a potential long-term complication. The most important risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma development in people with dark skin is chronic scarring and inflammation, such as those seen in long-standing discoid plaques. African Americans who develop squamous cell carcinoma in the setting of chronic scarring and inflammation have a greater risk of metastasis and recurrence compared to sun-induced squamous cell carcinoma seen in whites. Despite this, the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma development in chronic DLE is not fully understood. Herein, we describe a case of an African American patient who developed squamous cell carcinoma on a long-standing discoid plaque. Analysis of the lesion revealed a null type pattern of p53 protein expression and abundant CD123+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells, as potential drivers of oncogenesis and inflammation, respectively. Dermatologists should be aware of the increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma development within long-standing discoid plaques for a prompt early diagnosis and active long-term surveillance.

Benign and low-grade superficial endothelial cell neoplasms in the molecular era.

Vascular tumors are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the skin and subcutis, and they encompass a heterogeneous group with diverse clinical, histological, and molecular features, as well as biological behavior. Over the past two decades, molecular studies have enabled the identification of pathogenic recurrent genetic alterations that can be used as additional data points to support the correct classification of these lesions. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available data related to superficially located benign and low-grade vascular neoplasms and to highlight recent molecular advances with the role of surrogate immunohistochemistry to target pathogenic proteins as diagnostic biomarkers.

Atypical Presentations of Extraparenchymal Neurocysticercosis.

BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic infection of the central nervous system and is typically diagnosed through visualization of the cysts in the cerebral parenchyma by neuro-imaging. However, neuro-imaging may not detect extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (EPNCC), which is a rare manifestation of the disease involving the subarachnoid, meningeal, and intraventricular spaces. We report 2 cases of extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis, and discuss the diagnostic challenges and management of this entity. METHODS: Two cases were identified through clinical records. RESULTS: Both patients had an insidious onset with slow progression of disease, and presented with papilledema and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) eosinophilia. One case was diagnosed with spinal cord biopsy. The other was diagnosed with CSF serology and next-generation sequencing-based pathogen analysis. Both patients were treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt, systemic antiparasitic agents, and immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS: EPNCC is less common than parenchymal NCC. A high level of clinical suspicion is required given its rarity, long incubation period, and slow progression. Diagnosis and treatment can be challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach.

Novel fusion genes in spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma: The spectrum broadens.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) encompasses a heterogeneous group of tumors with striated muscle differentiation. RMSs are classified as alveolar, embryonal, spindle cell/sclerosing, and pleomorphic types and molecular analysis of these tumors has identified aberrations that are useful in their further subclassification. Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma (SpRMS) is uncommon and has been described with VGLL2 fusions, EWSR1/FUS-TFCP2 rearrangements, and myoD1 mutations-the mutations are associated with significantly different prognoses. In addition, the NCOA2-MEIS1 fusion gene was recently described in two primary intraosseous RMS that contained spindle cell components. Herein, we report three cases of SpRMS harboring different novel fusion genes, one possessing EP300-VGLL3, a second with NCOA2-MEIS1 and CAV1-MET, and the third case had HMGA2-NEGR1 and multiple amplified genes.

Identification of EWSR1-NFATC2 fusion in simple bone cysts.

AIMS: Simple bone cysts are benign intramedullary tumours primarily involving the long bones in skeletally immature individuals. Several mechanisms have been proposed for their pathogenesis. Although the diagnosis is typically straightforward, the interpretation can be problematic, because of superimposed fracture causing them to resemble aneurysmal bone cysts and other tumours. EWSR1-NFATC2 or FUS-NFATC2 fusions, which are characteristic of a subset of aggressive round cell sarcomas, have been recently detected in simple bone cysts. The aim of this study was to examine the clinicopathological and molecular features in a series of simple bone cysts. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using RNA-based next-generation sequencing and/or fluorescence in-situ hybridisation, we investigated the presence of EWSR1 or FUS rearrangements in nine simple bone cysts. The patients were five females and four males, aged 3-23 years (median, 14 years); the tumours ranged from 19 mm to 160 mm (median, 46 mm) in size, and involved the femur (n = 3), humerus (n = 2), fibula (n = 2), tibia (n = 1), and iliac wing (n =1). We identified three cases with EWSR1-NFATC2 fusion (showing identical breakpoints to those in EWSR1-NFATC2 sarcomas) and one additional case with FUS rearrangement. Unlike in EWSR1-NFATC2 sarcomas, immunohistochemical expression of NKX3.1 and NKX2.2 was absent in two simple bone cysts tested. CONCLUSIONS: More than 40% of simple bone cysts harbour genetic alterations confirming that they are neoplastic, investigation of EWSR1 and/or FUS rearrangement may help to distinguish simple bone cysts from mimics, and NFATC2 rearrangement is not pathognomonic of malignancy.

Amyloid Arthropathy: A Review.

Amyloid arthropathy is a joint disease associated with systemic amyloidosis. Herein, we present a model case and review the clinicopathologic features and pathophysiology of this disorder. Amyloid arthropathy results from elevation of serum amyloidogenic proteins and their deposition as aggregates in synovial fluid and articular tissues. The most common proteins are beta-2-microglobulin in the context of long-term hemodialysis therapy and immunoglobulin light chains associated with plasma cell proliferations. We provide a comprehensive update on the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and pathologic features of amyloid arthropathy. We provide detailed insights on amyloid protein deposition and aggregation in joints and proper details for diagnosis.

Cardiac Myxoma: Review and Update of Contemporary Immunohistochemical Markers and Molecular Pathology.

Cardiac myxoma is an uncommon benign mesenchymal neoplasm of the heart. It usually arises in the left atrium, near the valve of the fossa ovalis, and most frequently affects adults in the third through the sixth decades of life. It is hypothesized to arise from subendothelial vasoformative reserve cells or primitive cells that differentiate along the lines of the endothelium, but this remains speculative. Microscopically, the neoplastic cells are arranged individually, and nests, and are oriented in single or multiple layers around vascular channels. The neoplastic cells are immunoreactive for vimentin, calretinin, S100, nonspecific enolase, factor VIII, CD31, and CD34. The tumor can have diverse clinical presentations depending on its location and extent of disease and is predisposed to embolization. The current treatment is prompt surgical excision.

mTORC2 deficiency in cutaneous dendritic cells potentiates CD8+ effector T cell responses and accelerates skin graft rejection.

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex (mTORC)1 and mTORC2 regulate the differentiation and function of immune cells. While inhibition of mTORC1 antagonizes dendritic cell (DC) differentiation and suppresses graft rejection, the role of mTORC2 in DCs in determining host responses to transplanted tissue remains undefined. Using a mouse model in which mTORC2 was deleted specifically in CD11c+ DCs (TORC2DC-/- ), we show that the transplant of minor histocompatibility Ag (HY)-mismatched skin grafts from TORC2DC-/- donors into wild-type recipients results in accelerated rejection characterized by enhanced CD8+ T cell responses in the graft and regional lymphoid tissue [Correction added on January 9, 2019, after first online publication: in the previous sentence, major was changed to minor]. Similar enhancement of CD8+ effector T cell responses was observed in MHC-mismatched recipients of TORC2DC-/- grafts. Augmented CD8+ T cell responses were also observed in a delayed-type hypersensitivity model in which mTORC2 was absent in cutaneous DCs. These elevated responses could be ascribed to an increased T cell stimulatory phenotype of TORC2DC-/- and not to enhanced lymph node homing of the cells. In contrast, rejection of ovalbumin transgenic skin grafts in TORC2DC-/- recipients was unaffected. These findings suggest that mTORC2 in skin DCs restrains effector CD8+ T cell responses and have implications for understanding of the influence of mTOR inhibitors that target mTORC2 in transplant.

Granulomatous and lichenoid dermatitis after IgG4 anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody therapy for advanced cancer.

Nivolumab is a fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody directed against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). PD-1 inhibition allows T-cell activation and recruitment to destroy cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors have shown significant survival advantage and relatively low side-effects in comparison with conventional chemotherapy in several types of advanced cancer. Granulomatous cutaneous reactions have been reported showing sarcoidal and panniculitic morphology. Here we present a case of drug-induced lichenoid and granulomatous dermatitis after checkpoint inhibitor therapy observed in a 63-year-old male treated with nivolumab for advanced glioblastoma. This morphology has not been previously reported. We documented a high number of CD8+ T-cells within the lesions. Additionally, we review the side-effects observed with the use of checkpoint inhibitors, with special focus on cutaneous manifestations.

Molecular targeting of papillary thyroid carcinoma with fluorescently labeled ratiometric activatable cell penetrating peptides in a transgenic murine model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Molecularly targeted fluorescent molecules may help detect tumors that are unseen by traditional white-light surgical techniques. We sought to evaluate a fluorescent ratiometric activatable cell penetrating peptide (RACPP) for tumor detection in a transgenic model of PTC. METHODS: Thirteen BRAFV600E mice with PTC were studied-seven injected intravenously with RACPP, four controls with saline. Total thyroidectomy was performed with microscopic white-light visualization. Fluorescent imaging of post-thyroidectomy fields was performed, and tissue with increased signal was removed and evaluated for PTC. Final samples were analyzed by a pathologist blinded to conditions. Vocal cord function was evaluated postoperatively with video laryngoscopy. RESULTS: The average in situ ratiometric (Cy5/Cy7) thyroid tumor-to-background contrast ratio was 2.27 +/- 0.91. Fluorescence-guided clean-up following thyroidectomy identified additional tumor in 2 of 7 RACPP animals (smallest dimension 1.2 mm), and decreased the number of animals with residual tumor from 4 to 3. All retained tumor foci on final pathology were smaller than 0.76 mm. Intact vocal abduction was present in all of the RACPP animals. CONCLUSIONS: RACPPs successfully targeted PTC in a transgenic thyroidectomy model, and allowed for residual tumor detection that reduced positive margins beyond what was possible with white-light surgery alone.

Mixed primary prostatic carcinoma with acinar, neuroendocrine and ductal components.

Mixed tumors in the prostate gland have been described; they are primarily originate in the gland or are the product of metastatic compromise. Mixed primary epithelial carcinomas of the prostate are very rare; here we report the case of a 72-years-old man with histopathologic findings of a primary prostate mixed carcinoma, showing characteristics of acinar, ductal and neuroendocrine adenocarcinoma. We also discuss the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of these uncommon mixed neoplasms.

Primary intraocular inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor with anaplastic lymphoma kinase overexpression.

The human eye can be compromised by a variated spectrum of neoplasms and reactive processes. Here we present a rare case of a primary intraocular inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) dependent on the sclera and choroid in a 31-year-old female. The knowledge surrounding IMTs, previously included in the category of inflammatory pseudotumors, has undergone dynamic changes in the past two decades. Here we review the characteristics of these tumors in the human eye and in the surrounding structures, and we describe the recent advances that allow molecular characterization of the neoplastic nature of this entity.

Gene of the month: DDIT3.

DNA damage-inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3) gene, mapped to the human chromosome 12q13.3, encodes a protein that belongs to the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein family of transcription factors. DDIT3 is involved in the proliferative control that responds to endoplasmic reticulum stress in normal conditions, dimerising other transcription factors with basic leucine zipper (bZIP) structural motifs. DDIT3 plays a significant role during cell differentiation, especially adipogenesis, arresting the maturation of adipoblasts. In disease, FUS/EWSR1::DDIT3 fusion is the pathogenic event that drives the development of myxoid liposarcoma. The amplification of DDIT3 in other adipocytic neoplasms mediates the presence of adipoblast-like elements. Another fusion, GLI1::DDIT3, has rarely been documented in other tumours. This paper reviews the structure and function of DDIT3, its role in disease-particularly cancer-and its use and pitfalls in diagnostic testing, including immunohistochemistry as a tissue-based marker.

Mesenchymal neoplasms of the tongue: A clinicopathologic study of 93 cases.

Neoplasms of the tongue are relatively common, and the vast majority are epithelial in phenotype. Although uncommon, a diverse and distinctive array of mesenchymal neoplasms arises in this anatomic site. To increase our understanding of these lesions, we reviewed our experience of MNs of the tongue and described their clinicopathologic features. The pathology archives from 2005 to 2021 and the consultation files of one of the authors were queried for all MNs of the tongue. We reviewed the histologic slides and ancillary studies and obtained clinical data from the available medical records. Ninety-three cases were identified, and they form the study cohort - to our knowledge, this is the largest series of mesenchymal neoplasms of the tongue. Forty-eight patients were female, and forty-five were male, with a mean age of 51 years (range: 1-94 years). The tumors included 43 (46.2%) hemangiomas, 14 (15%) granular cell tumors, 8 (9%) lipomas, 4 (4.3%) schwannomas, 4 (4.3%) solitary fibrous tumors - all with low risk of progression based on risk stratification criteria, 2 (2.2%) lymphangiomas, 3 (3.2%) Kaposi sarcomas, 2 (2.2%) chondromas, 2 (2.2%) myofibromas, 1 (1.1%) solitary circumscribed neuroma, 1 (1.1%) perineurioma, 1 (1.1%) neurofibroma, 1 (1.1%) ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumor, 1 (1.1%) atypical glomus tumor with a NOTCH2 rearrangement and TLL2 mutation, 1 (1.1%) spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma, 1 (1.1%) pleomorphic fibroblastic sarcoma, 1 (1.1%) malignant rhabdoid tumor, 1 (1.1%) leiomyosarcoma, 1 (1.1%) angiosarcoma, and 1 (1.1%) alveolar soft part sarcoma. Most of the patients underwent surgical excision, and 1 patient (with hemangioma) underwent embolization. On follow-up, the patient with spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma developed postoperative numbness at the surgical site and was disease-free through 17 months of follow-up. The patient with leiomyosarcoma declined adjuvant radiation and developed metastasis to the lung at 22 months. The patient with alveolar soft part sarcoma had metastases to the lung at the time of diagnosis and received adjuvant chemotherapy. The remaining patients had no local or distant recurrence. MNs of the tongue are usually benign and characterized by either endothelial, adipocytic, or schwannian differentiation. The mainstay of treatment is surgical excision with the extent of excision determined by tumor type. Adjuvant therapy is reserved for high-grade sarcomas.

Primary esophageal meningioma: first literature report.

We have described a primary esophageal meningioma (MG) clinical case diagnosed in a 62-year-old woman; also, we review the literature about extracranial MGs. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of an extracranial MG occurring primarily in the esophagus. These are benign neoplasms reported classically in the central nervous system (CNS). The extrancranial MGs have histopathologic and inmunohistochemical features identical to those observed in CNS MGs; thus, the main diagnostic hurdle is to keep it in the differential for lesions occurring outside the CNS.

Histopathological and immunohistochemical profile in anaplastic gangliogliomas.

BACKGROUND: The anaplastic ganglioglioma (AG) is the high-grade counterpart of ganglioglioma, a rare mixed tumor composed of neuronal/ganglion and glial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We describe the histopathology and immunohistochemistry in 7 cases of AG and correlate them with the clinical and radiological features. RESULTS: Our AG patients correspond to 2.5% of the central nervous system tumor patients evaluated in our institution. The mean age at presentation was 25.7 years, with a male predominance. The most common clinical presentation was generalized tonic-clonic seizures (3/7 cases), in correlation with frequent cortical/subcortical location (6/7 cases). Histopathologically, all our cases showed high-grade features in glial (glial fibrillary acid protein-positive) and neuron-ganglion cells (synaptophysin, PGP-9.5, neurofilament, NSE and CD56-positive), as well as moderate cellularity, frequent mitotic figures and a Ki-67 labeling index >5%. All our patients had poor survival. CONCLUSION: We found that a typical histopathological and immunohistochemical profile is constant and can be useful in early diagnosis of these aggressive neoplasms.

A review of bubble hair deformity.

Bubble hair deformity is an acquired abnormality characterized by air-filled cavity formations within the hair shaft, usually because of heat damage. Traditionally, bubble hair is diagnosed by visualization of characteristic bubbles under light microscopy. The increased utilization of trichoscopy (scalp dermoscopy) has led to its adoption in the diagnosis of many hair and scalp conditions, including bubble hair deformity. We sought to review clinical reports evaluating the patient profile, use of diagnostic imaging, and treatment options for bubble hair deformity. A systematic search of PubMed was performed in February 2021 using various keywords. Titles and abstracts were screened, leading to the selection of 11 case reports or series. The majority of patients were middle-aged Caucasian women who had used a heated tool to dry or style wet hair. Treatment consisted of cessation of heated tool usage. Light microscopy visualization of characteristic hair shaft cavities was used for diagnosis of bubble hair deformity in reports published prior to 2012. Diagnosis by trichoscopy was used in more recent reports. Our findings support the use of trichoscopy as a convenient and noninvasive method of diagnosing bubble hair deformity. More clinical studies are needed to evaluate the development of bubble hair deformity in ethnic hair.

Highlighting the Diversity of Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor: A Case Series.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare malignant tumor that occurs mainly in the retroperitoneum of children and young adults. In its prototypical form, DSCRT displays characteristic morphology with nested primitive small round cells in a desmoplastic stroma and a distinctive immunophenotype with polyphenotypic differentiation. However, DSCRT can also exhibit a broader clinical, histologic and immunohistochemical spectrum and, therefore, cause diagnostic difficulties. Given that DSCRT is an aggressive and nearly universally fatal disease, making the correct diagnosis is critically important. Herein, we report three patients with DSRCT and unusual clinical, morphologic or immunohistochemical characteristics, in order to highlight its remarkable diversity and increase awareness of this unusual, distinctive neoplasm.

EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the elderly is an aggressive post-germinal center B-cell neoplasm characterized by prominent nuclear factor-kB activation.

Here, we report a retrospective series of 47 EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma associated with advanced age. Histopathology allowed to the identification of different histological patterns: cases with polymorphic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (29 cases), Hodgkin-like (8 cases) and polymorphic lymphoproliferative disorder-like (9 cases) patterns. One case was purely monomorphic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We show that this lymphoma type is a neoplasm with prominent classical and alternative nuclear factor-kB pathway activation in neoplastic cells (79% of the cases showed nuclear staining for p105/p50, 74% for p100/p52 and 63% for both proteins), with higher frequency than that observed in a control series of EBV-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (χ(2) <0.001). Most cases showed an activated phenotype (95% non-germinal center (Hans algorithm); 78% activated B cell (Choi algorithm)). Clonality testing demonstrated IgH and/or K/Kde/L monoclonal rearrangements in 64% of cases and clonal T-cell populations in 24% of cases. C-MYC (1 case), BCL6 (2 cases) or IgH (3 cases) translocations were detected by FISH in 18% cases. These tumors had a poor overall survival and progression-free survival (the estimated 2-year overall survival was 40 ± 10% and the estimated 2-year progression-free survival was 36 ± 9%). Thus, alternative therapies, based on the tumor biology, need to be tested in patients with EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the elderly.

Systolic heart murmur as first manifestation of high output heart failure due to the vein of galen malformation.

The vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) is an extremely rare arterio-venous malformation. The VGAM clinical manifestations vary depending on the magnitude of vascular compromise and the age at initial presentation. Neonates typically present with severe congestive heart failure. Here we present a case in which a systolic heart murmur was the first manifestation of high output heart failure due to a VGAM.