Grading Of Tumors Research Articles

The 2-tier grading system identifies canine cutaneous and/or subcutaneous mast cell tumors with aggressive biological behavior regardless of growth model.

Histologic grading of canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (cMCTs) has prognostic and therapeutic implications, yet validation for subcutaneous MCTs (scMCTs) is lacking. For scMCTs with or without dermal invasion, determining their biological behavior remains poorly standardized and sometimes sparks controversy. This prospective study aimed to assess the prognostic utility of the 2-tier histologic grading system in MCTs with different growth models (GMs) and explore the prognostic impact of the GM itself. We assessed 6 histologic GM categories: solely cMCT (C-SC0), cMCT with superficial (C-SC1) or deep subcutaneous (C-SC2) involvement, solely scMCT (SC-C0), and scMCT with deep (SC-C1) or superficial (SC-C2) infiltration of the dermis. Ninety-one MCTs from 76 dogs undergoing excision and regional/sentinel lymphadenectomy were examined. GM classification identified 11 (12%) C-SC0 tumors, 12 (13%) C-SC1, 15 (16%) C-SC2, 21 (23%) SC-C0, 15 (16%) SC-C1, and 17 (19%) SC-C2. Mitotic count, 2-tier grade, nodal involvement, surgical margins, and outcome were stratified according to GM. scMCTs lacking dermal invasion, historically associated with a benign clinical course, had a poor prognosis in 10% of cases. cMCTs exhibiting deep subcutaneous involvement included the largest percentage of high-grade tumors (33%), had the highest occurrence of overt nodal metastases (33%), and had the lowest 1-year survival rate (86%). Histologic grade was confirmed as a relevant prognostic factor, surpassing nodal involvement and histologic margin status. The 2-tier histologic grading enabled the identification of all MCTs with aggressive biological behavior, regardless of their cutaneous or subcutaneous location.

B7-H3 Expression in Breast Cancer and Brain Metastasis.

Brain metastasis is a significant challenge for some breast cancer patients, marked by its aggressive nature, limited treatment options, and poor clinical outcomes. Immunotherapies have emerged as a promising avenue for brain metastasis treatment. B7-H3 (CD276) is an immune checkpoint molecule involved in T cell suppression, which is associated with poor survival in cancer patients. Given the increasing number of clinical trials using B7-H3 targeting CAR T cell therapies, we examined B7-H3 expression across breast cancer subtypes and in breast cancer brain metastases to assess its potential as an interventional target. B7-H3 expression was investigated using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays of three clinical cohorts: (i) unselected primary breast cancers (n = 347); (ii) brain metastatic breast cancers (n = 61) and breast cancer brain metastases (n = 80, including a subset of 53 patient-matched breast and brain metastasis cases); and (iii) mixed brain metastases from a range of primary tumours (n = 137). In primary breast cancers, B7-H3 expression significantly correlated with higher tumour grades and aggressive breast cancer subtypes, as well as poorer 5-year survival outcomes. Subcellular localisation of B7-H3 impacted breast cancer-specific survival, with cytoplasmic staining also correlating with a poorer outcome. Its expression was frequently detected in brain metastases from breast cancers, with up to 90% expressing B7-H3. However, not all brain metastases showed high levels of expression, with those from colorectal and renal tumours showing a low frequency of B7-H3 expression (0/14 and 2/16, respectively). The prevalence of B7-H3 expression in breast cancers and breast cancer brain metastases indicates potential opportunities for B7-H3 targeted therapies in breast cancer management.

Design and Development of Hypertuned Deep learning Frameworks for Detection and Severity Grading of Brain Tumor using Medical Brain MR images.

Brain tumor is a grave illness causing worldwide fatalities. The current detection methods for brain tumors are manual, invasive, and rely on histopathological analysis. Determining the type of brain tumor after its detection relies on biopsy measures and involves human subjectivity. The use of automated CAD techniques for brain tumor detection and classification can overcome these drawbacks. The paper aims to create two deep learning-based CAD frameworks for automatic detection and severity grading of brain tumors - the first model for brain tumor detection in brain MR images and model 2 for the classification of tumors into three types: Glioma, Meningioma, and Pituitary based on severity grading. The novelty of the research work includes the architectural design of deep learning frameworks for detection and classification of brain tumor using brain MR images. The hyperparameter tuning of the proposed models is done to achieve the optimal parameters that result in maximizing the models' performance and minimizing losses. The proposed CNN models outperform the existing state of the art models in terms of accuracy and complexity of the models. The proposed model developed for detection of brain tumors achieved an accuracy of 98.56% and CNN Model developed for severity grading of brain tumor achieved an accuracy of 92.36% on BraTs dataset. The proposed models have an edge over the existing CNN models in terms of less complexity of the structure and appreciable accuracy with low training and test errors. The proposed CNN Models can be employed for clinical diagnostic purposes to aid the medical fraternity in validating their initial screening for brain tumor detection and its multi-classification.

Multimodal blood loss prevention bundle for endoscopic resection of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: A case series.

Surgery for excision of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) carries the possibility of massive life-threatening haemorrhage. Anaesthetic management aims to maintain haemodynamic stability and reduce blood loss. This case series describes the application of the bundled approach as a multimodal blood loss prevention bundle (MBLPB). Twenty patients underwent 23 surgeries with MBLPB. The blood loss and the number of units of blood transfused were recorded. The surgeon satisfaction score was assessed. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] estimated blood loss was 1300 (650-2350) ml. Patients with tumours in stages I and II had a median (IQR) blood loss of 550 (270-750) ml compared to patients with higher grades of tumours (stages III, IV) with a median (IQR) blood loss of 2100 (1300-2500) ml. Median (IQR) units of packed red cells transfused was 1 (0-3). The surgeon's satisfaction score was high when MBLPB was applied for JNA. However, it does not appear to reduce blood loss markedly.

Diffusion Weighted Imaging and Grading of Brain Tumours

Background: Most prevalent primary cerebral tumours are meningiomas. The other frequent intracranial tumours are pituitary adenomas, which are benign, and gliomas, which are intra-axial brain tumours. The objective of this study is to understand the importance of DW MRI imaging with standard b-value in differentiating presurgical grading of the brain tumour. Design: A total of 24 DWI patients, including 12 meningiomas, 8 gliomas, and 4 pituitary adenomas, were included in this retrospective analysis. Method: The Stejskal-Tanner equation is used to analyse the ADCmean, ADCmin, and ADCmax values from the healthy and tumour core that are obtained out from area of interest (ROI). Result: The ADCmean value of Gliomas ranges from 0.09 x 10-3 mm2s-1 to 0.99 x 10-3 mm2s-1 with a median value of 0.25 x 10-3 mm2s-1. ADCmean value 1.82 x 10-3 mm2/s (sensitivity: 67%. Specificity: 81.8%) and 0.94 x 10-3 mm2/s (sensitivity: 75%. specificity: 81.3%) can discriminate grade II –IV meningioma from grade II-IV glioma. Conclusion: The ADC and its threshold levels offer crucial details on the grades, consistency, and characterization of tumour, aiding accurate diagnosis and therapy. KEYWORDS: Brain tumour, Imaging, MRI, DWI, ADC, b-value.

Protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 accentuates cholangiocarcinoma progression via mTORC1-mediated glycolysis.

This study aimed to investigate the expression of protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 (PRC1) in cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) and elucidate its potential impact as well as the underlying mechanisms governing the progression of CHOL. In this study, we used CHOL cells (HUCCT1, RBE, and CCLP1) and conducted a series of experiments, including qRT-PCR, cell counting kit-8 assays, EdU assays, flow cytometry, wound healing assays, Transwell assays, western blotting, double luciferase assays, and ELISA. Subsequently, a mouse model was established using cancer cell injections. Haematoxylin-eosin staining, along with Ki67 and TUNEL assays, were employed to assess tissue histopathology, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Our findings revealed significantly elevated PRC1 expression in CHOL. According to bioinformatics analysis, it was found that the increased PRC1 level is correlated with the high tumour grades, metastases, and unfavourable prognoses. Notably, PRC1 knockdown inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis in CHOL cells. Analysing TCGA-CHOL data and utilising transcription factor prediction tools (hTFtarget and HumanTFDB), we identified that genes positively correlated with PRC1 in TCGA-CHOL intersect with predicted transcription factors, revealing the activation of PRC1 by forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1). Moreover, PRC1 was found to exert regulatory control over glycolysis and the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway in the context of CHOL based on KEGG and GSEA analysis. Collectively, these results underscore the pivotal role of PRC1 in CHOL progression, wherein it modulates glycolysis and the mTORC1 pathway under the regulatory influence of FOXM1.

Automated AI-based grading of neuroendocrine tumors using Ki-67 proliferation index: comparative evaluation and performance analysis.

Early detection is critical for successfully diagnosing cancer, and timely analysis of diagnostic tests is increasingly important. In the context of neuroendocrine tumors, the Ki-67 proliferation index serves as a fundamental biomarker, aiding pathologists in grading and diagnosing these tumors based on histopathological images. The appropriate treatment plan for the patient is determined based on the tumor grade. An artificial intelligence-based method is proposed to aid pathologists in the automated calculation and grading of the Ki-67 proliferation index. The proposed system first performs preprocessing to enhance image quality. Then, segmentation process is performed using the U-Net architecture, which is a deep learning algorithm, to separate the nuclei from the background. The identified nuclei are then evaluated as Ki-67 positive or negative based on basic color space information and other features. The Ki-67 proliferation index is then calculated, and the neuroendocrine tumor is graded accordingly. The proposed system's performance was evaluated on a dataset obtained from the Department of Pathology at Meram Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Necmettin Erbakan University. The results of the pathologist and the proposed system were compared, and the proposed system was found to have an accuracy of 95% in tumor grading when compared to the pathologist's report.

A study on immunohistochemical expression of HER2/Neu and p63 and its association with grade and invasiveness in case of bladder carcinoma.

Bladder cancer is a global disease, ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer. The incidence and prevalence increase with age. Grade and aggressiveness have been found to be related with different genetic expression and mutation. To evaluate any relation of grade and invasiveness of urothelial cancer with varied expression of immune histochemical marker p63 and her2/neu. The present study was a hospital based prospective cross-sectional study. This Study was conducted from July 2021 to April 2023 in the Urology department of a tertiary care hospital. Total 90 patients undergoing trans urethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) were included in this study. It was found that, patients who had decreased p63 expression had high grade in tumours (93.1%) compared to patients who were expressing normal p63 (32.8%) and this was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Tumours with decreased p63 also appeared to be more invasive, 62.1% were found to be muscle invasive. Tumours with her2 neu expression found to be more aggressive in nature, 85.7% had high grade features and 53.6% were muscle invasive. Our findings suggest that immunohistochemical expression of HER2/neu positive and decreased p63 expression were associated with high grade and invasiveness in case of bladder carcinoma.

Immunohistochemical Study of MMP-9 Expression in Canine Malignant Mammary Tumors

A class of proteinases called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is involved in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as other biological activities. Due to their capacity to degrade the matrix, they were considered in the invasion and metastasis of tumors. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the association between MMP-9 expression in tumor-adjacent stromal cells and malignant mammary tumors in dogs, as well as the potential use of this protease as a predictive tumor marker. During surgery and necropsy, 32 canine malignant mammary gland tumors were discovered. For histopathological grading of tumors, the Pena et al. [1], approach and the Goldsmith et al. [2], method were employed. Utilizing immunohistochemical labeling, epithelial and stromal cell MMP-9 expression was identified. The level of tumor malignancy was associated with the degree of MMP-9 expression in stromal cells. In addition, stromal cells had much greater levels of MMP-9 expression. The expression of MMP-9 was well distributed and intense in all grade II and III carcinomas as well as poorly differentiated carcinosarcomas. High histologic grade tumors have greater levels of MMP-9 expression, according to semiquantitative examination of the gene’s expression. This finding lends credence to the concept that MMP-9 functions as an ECM component in tumor invasion and metastasis.

CDKN2A/B deletion in IDH-mutant astrocytomas: An evaluation by Fluorescence in-situ hybridization.

CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion is one of the defining features of grade 4 in IDH-mutant astrocytic tumours. To evaluate CDKN2A/B-deletion in IDH-mutant astrocytic tumours and its clinicopathological impact. CDKN2A/B-deletion was evaluated by Fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH) and interpreted by two recently accepted methods. Eighty-three out of 94 cases (histologically-grade 2: 3, grade 3: 46, grade 4: 34) were interpretable on FISH. Concordant CDKN2A/B-deletion was observed in 71% (27/38) of lower-grade tumours (n = 49) and 90% (27/30) of histological grade 4 tumours (n = 34). Both the interpretation methods showed good agreement (Kappa = 0.75). CDKN2A/B-deletion showed an inverse correlation for < 10% MIB-1 labeling index (p = 0.01) while that by method-2 showed a significant correlation for grade 4 (p = 0.02). No significant correlation was observed for any other clinicopathological parameters. Twenty-four patients showed progression/recurrence (including deaths), and no significant difference in frequency of CDKN2A/B deletion was observed among cases with disease progression across different histological grades. CDKN2A/B-deletion was observed across all the histological grades of IDH-mutant astrocytic tumours, expectedly more in the higher grade. FISH, as a method, can be used for the detection of CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, when there is concordant interpretation.

Prognostic significance of grade of malignancy based on histopathological differentiation and Ki-67 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Tumor cell malignancy is indicated by histopathological differentiation and cell proliferation. Ki-67, an indicator of cellular proliferation, has been used for tumor grading and classification in breast cancer and neuroendocrine tumors. However, its prognostic significance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains uncertain. Patients who underwent radical pancreatectomy for PDAC were retrospectively enrolled, and relevant prognostic factors were examined. Grade of malignancy (GOM), a novel index based on histopathological differentiation and Ki-67, is proposed, and its clinical significance was evaluated. The optimal threshold for Ki-67 was determined to be 30%. Patients with a Ki-67 expression level > 30% rather than ≤ 30% had significantly shorter 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). In multivariate analysis, both histopathological differentiation and Ki-67 were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS and RFS. The GOM was used to independently stratify OS and RFS into 3 tiers, regardless of TNM stage and other established prognostic factors. The tumor-node-metastasis-GOM stage was used to stratify survival into 5 distinct tiers, and surpassed the predictive performance of TNM stage for OS and RFS. Ki-67 is a valuable prognostic indicator for PDAC. Inclusion of the GOM in the TNM staging system may potentially enhance prognostic accuracy for PDAC.

Immunohistochemical Expression of PD-L1 in Core Biopsy Samples of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer and its Association with Histopathological and Clinicoradiological Parameters

Introduction: Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. In addition to chemotherapy, immunotherapy has yielded favourable outcomes in advanced, surgically non resectable Non Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC). The inhibition of immune checkpoints by monoclonal antibodies targeting Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) and Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) plays a pivotal role in preventing the downregulation of antitumour immunity. Aim: To study the expression of PD-L1 in NSCLC cases from core biopsy specimens and its association with histological types, grades of tumour along with clinicoradiological parameters (age, sex, smoking status, and radiological location of the tumour). Materials and Methods: This ambispective study was done in the Pathology Department of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India, over two years from October 2020 to August 2022. The authors studied 35 cases of histopathologically and Immunohistochemically (IHC) diagnosed NSCLC. Partial or complete membranous staining of any intensity in ≥1% of tumour cells was considered positive in IHC. The Tumour Proportion Scoring (TPS) used for PD-L1 reporting was as follows: TPS &lt;1%: negative, TPS 1-49%: low positive expression, and TPS ≥50%: high positive expression. Microsoft excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 software were used for statistical analysis. Results: The most common age group was 61-70 years (12 cases; 34.29%), with a male predominance 24 (68.60). Chronic smokers (16 cases; 45.71%) were commonly affected. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) was the common histological type (21 cases; 60%). Overall, 14 cases (40.0%) showed low (1-49%) and 5 cases (14.30%) showed high (≥50%) positive TPS of PD-L1 expression, respectively. Three cases (27.3%) of Grade 2 SCC and one case (10%) of Grade 3 SCC expressed high positivity. There was a statistical association between PDL1 expression and male sex (p-value 0.01), positive smoking history (p-value 0.048), and SCC (p-value 0.032). Conclusion: The PD-L1 expression is associated with increased tumour proliferation, aggressiveness, as well as shorter survival period in advanced NSCLC. The present study showed a significant association of PD-L1 expression in males, chronic smokers, and SCC. As per the existing literature, its association with clinicoradiological parameters is not clear. Future research with a larger cohort study, along with other predictive biomarkers, is highly desired to reach conclusive evidence.

Expression patterns of aquaporins 1, 3, 5 in canine mammary gland carcinomas.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins, and the expression of AQPs in carcinoma cells has received much attention over the last 15 years. In the veterinary field, however, little is known about the expression of AQPs. In the present study using immunohistochemistry, we examined the expression of AQP1, AQP3, and AQP5 in canine mammary gland carcinomas. The 27 samples comprised 10 grade I, 12 grade II, and 5 grade III samples (See Materials and Methods section for grade classification method). AQP1 was expressed in only 2 of the grade III carcinomas, and the expression was limited to spindle-shaped cells in the solid structure and on the outside of the solid mass. AQP3-positive cells were observed in 20 of 22 grade I and II samples. On the other hand, among grade III carcinomas, AQP3 was expressed only in spindle-shaped cells in 1 sample. AQP5 was expressed in all grade I and II carcinomas but not in the grade III tumors. In addition, enhanced expression of basolateral AQP3 and apical AQP5 was observed in lobular hyperplastic cells. These results suggest that the expression patterns of AQP3 and AQP5 can be of help for judging the grading of canine mammary tumors and that AQP1 is likely to be involved in metastasis. Moreover, AQP3 and AQP5 might be relevant to lactation in female dogs.

Critical appraisal of the WHO 2022 classification of thyroid cancer

The WHO Classification of Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Tumors, Fifth Edition, is a current publication that includes relevant revisions to the nomenclature, grading, and prognostication of endocrine tumors based on pathologic characteristics and molecular profile. Additional entities such as thyroid follicular nodular disease, follicular adenoma with papillary architecture, and oncocytic adenoma of the thyroid are included in the benign follicular cell-derived category. Fifth edition WHO has refined the spectrum of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) by aligning invasive encapsulated follicular variant PTCs with follicular thyroid carcinomas. Follicular cell-derived differentiated thyroid carcinomas may also have high-grade features in the absence of morphologic dedifferentiation, and hence, differentiated thyroid carcinomas with high-grade features are now recognized as a distinct morphologic spectrum. The Ki-67 proliferation index reporting is required in all medullary thyroid carcinomas for grading.

Clinical, Pathological Characteristics and Progression of Urothelial Bladder Cancer in Young Adult Patients. Our Experience and Literature Review.

Bladder cancer is highly prevalent even though its incidence is considerably lower in patients younger than 40 years, thus raising the issue of the influence of age at diagnosis on the natural history of this disease. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and progression of young patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma with at least 10 years of follow-up and to compare the results with those of previously reported studies. A retrospective study between 1990 and 2007 was conducted. The medical records and tissue samples of patients with urothelial bladder tumours were reviewed, and patients with a first diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder at age 40 years or younger were selected. Their clinical and pathological data and disease-free survival were analysed. This study included 43 patients, with a median follow-up of 152 months (interquartile range (IQR): 96-222) and a mean age at diagnosis of 34 years (SD: 4.6). Thirty-five patients (81.4%) had non-muscle invasive tumours at diagnosis, and 53.5%, 27.9% and 18.6% had tumour grades of G1, G2 and G3, respectively. Fifteen patients (34.9%) experienced recurrence, and eight (18.6%) progressed. At 24 and 60 months, the recurrence-free survival rates were 84.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 69.2%-92.9%) and 68.9% (95% CI: 51.7%-81%), respectively, and the progression-free survival rates were 94.9% (95% CI: 81%-98.7%) and 92.2% (95% CI: 77.8%-97.4%), respectively. Bladder cancer is an uncommon disease in young patients. In most cases, it consists of non-muscle-invasive tumours, with a low rate of recurrence and progression. The prognosis is based on the tumour's characteristics and not on the patient's age.

Comparison of endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (FNA) vs fine needle biopsy (FNB) for preoperative grading of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Comparison of endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (FNA) vs fine needle biopsy (FNB) for preoperative grading of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Molecular and immunohistochemical study of APC exon 16 and its possible role in colorectal carcinoma development

BackgroundColorectal cancer ranks second as a cause of cancer deaths. Mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, especially in exon 16, could contribute to colorectal carcinoma development. This study explored the correlations between APC gene exon 16 variations/expression and colorectal carcinoma progression. MethodsIn a case-control study, blood samples from 150 colorectal carcinoma patients and 50 healthy volunteers were analyzed by PCR and sequencing for APC exon 16 variations. The APC protein expression on tissue samples was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and statistical analyses were used to examine clinicopathological correlations. ResultsThe sequencing analysis revealed a mutation in exon 16 of the APC gene (rs459552) in 36 % of colorectal cancer cases while absent in all non-cancer controls. Subgroup analysis by tumor grade showed higher prevalence of mutant allele in Grade II and Grade III cases, with frequencies reaching 60.0 % and 69.2 %, respectively, compared to a substantially lower prevalence of 29.4 % in Grade I patients. Immunohistochemistry showed no significant correlation between this mutation and APC expression. APC positivity proportions were 25.5 % in Grade I tumors (n = 26/102) versus 17.1 % in Grade II (n = 6/35) and 46.2 % in Grade III (n = 6/13), showing a non-significant trend of reduced positivity in higher grade tumors (p>0.05). ConclusionsThe frequency of APC exon 16 mutation (rs459552) rose significantly with increasing tumor grade. Similarly, although not statistically significant, the percentage of APC positive staining increased with poorer tumor differentiation, rather than declining. Therefore, the APC exon 16 mutation and expression analysis provides insights into colorectal cancer progression, with the rs459552 mutation correlating with grade and may promoting aggression.

Receptor tyrosine kinases: biological functions and anticancer targeted therapy.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a class of protein kinases that play crucial roles in various cellular processes, including cell migration, morphological differentiation, cell growth, and angiogenesis. In humans, 58 RTKs have been identified and categorized into 20 distinct families based on the composition of their extracellular regions. RTKs are primarily activated by specific ligands that bind to their extracellular region. They not only regulate tumor transformation, proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, and angiogenesis, but also initiate and maintain the self-renewal and cloning ability of cancer stem cells. Accurate diagnosis and grading of tumors with dysregulated RTKs are essential in clinical practice. There is a growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of RTKs-targeted therapies for cancer patients, and researchers are actively exploring new targets and developing targeted agents. However, further optimization of RTK inhibitors is necessary to effectively target the diverse RTK alterations observed in human cancers. This review provides insights into the classification, structure, activation mechanisms, and expression of RTKs in tumors. It also highlights the research advances in RTKs targeted anticancer therapy and emphasizes their significance in optimizing cancer diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Classification and Grading of Central Nervous System Tumors According to the World Health Organization 5th Edition.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released the 5th edition of its classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors in 2021. Advances in the landscape of molecular tumor pathophysiology prompted major revisions to the previous edition released in 2016, some of which were first introduced by the Consortium to Inform Molecular and Practical Approaches to CNS Tumor Taxonomy-Not Official WHO (cIMPACT-NOW). The 2021 classification system integrates newly gained molecular insights to guide changes in tumor taxonomy and nomenclature, introduces several new types of tumors, and expands the use of molecular testing for diagnosis and grading, with a particular impact on adult-type and pediatric-type gliomas, ependymomas, and embryonal tumors. These updates aim to promote clear and accurate diagnoses, yield more reliable prognostic information, and enable the selection of optimal therapies. Familiarity with these changes will be of great importance for clinicians involved in the management of CNS tumor patients.

Predicting the WHO Grading of Pediatric Brain Tumors Based on Their MRI Appearance: A Retrospective Study.

The treatment of central nervous system (CNS) tumors constitutes a significant part of a pediatric neurosurgeon's workload. The classification of such neoplasms spans many entities. These include low- and high-grade lesions, with bothoccurring in the population of patients under 18 years of age. Magnetic resonance imaging serves as the imaging method of choice for neoplastic lesions of the brain. Through its different modalities, such as T1, T2, T1 C+,apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), susceptibility-weighted imaging(SWI), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR), etc., it allows the medical team to plan the therapeutic process accordingly while also possibly suggesting the specific tumor subtype prior to obtaining a definitive histological diagnosis. We conducted a retrospective study spanning 32 children treated surgically for brain tumors between July 2021 and January 2023 who had a precise histological diagnosis determined by using the 2021 WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System. We divided them into two groups (high-grade and low-grade tumors, i.e., WHO grades 1 and 2, and grades 3 and 4, respectively) and analyzed their demographic data and preoperative MRI results. This was done using the following criteria: sub or supratentorial location of the tumor; lesion is circumscribed or infiltrating; solid, cystic, or mixed solid and cystic character of the tumor; number of compartments in cystic lesions; signal intensity (hypo-, iso-, hyperintensitysequences: T1, T2, T1 C+); presence of restricted diffusion; the largest diameter of the solid component and/or the largest diameter of the largest cyst in the transverse section. Then, we examined the results to find any correlation between the lesions' morphologies and their final assigned degree of malignancy. We found that the only radiological criteria correlating with the final WHO grade of the tumor were an infiltrative pattern of growth (25% of low-grade lesions, 75% of high-grade; p = 0.006) and the presence of a cystic component in the tumor (in 68.75% of low-grade tumors and 43.75% of high-grade tumors; p = 0.041). The only other feature close to attaining statistical significance was diffusion restriction (33.3% of low-grade tumors, 66.7% high-grade; p = 0.055). Older children tended to present with tumors of lower degrees of malignancy, and there was a predominance of female patients (21 female, 11 male).