Sarcomatoid Areas Research Articles

Same Organ, Two Cancers: Complete Analysis of Renal Cell Carcinomas and Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinomas.

Background and Objectives: Renal cell carcinomas and upper tract urothelial carcinomas are types of malignancies that originate in the kidneys. Each of these examples shows an increasing trend in the frequency and the mortality rate. This study aims to comprehensively define carcinomas by analyzing clinical, paraclinical, and histological aspects to predict aggressiveness and mortality. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective investigation on a group of patients suspected of kidney cancers. Results: We identified 188 cases. We observed a higher mortality rate and older age in individuals with urothelial carcinomas. Anemia, acute kidney injury, hematuria, and perineural invasion were the main risk factors that predicted their mortality. Tumor size in renal cell carcinomas correlates with the presence of necrosis and sarcomatoid areas. Factors that indicate a higher rate of death are older age, exceeding the renal capsule, a lesion that includes the entire kidney, lymphovascular invasion, acute kidney injury, and anemia. Conclusions: Even if they originate at the renal level, and the clinical-paraclinical picture is similar, the histopathological characteristics make the difference. In addition, to these are added the previously mentioned common parameters that can represent important prognostic factors. In conclusion, the characteristics commonly identified in one type of cancer may act as risk factors for the other tumor. The detected data include threshold values and risk factors, making a significant contribution to the existing literature.

Pseudosquamous Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Study of 10 Cases.

Pseudosquamous adenocarcinoma of the lung is an unusual morphologic variant of poorly differentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma that superficially resembles a squamous cell carcinoma. We have examined 10 cases of these tumors in 4 women and 6 men, aged 47 to 93 years. The tumors were all peripheral and measured from 1.5 to 5.5cm. All cases were characterized by solid nests of large polygonal tumor cells containing atypical nuclei with abundant cytoplasm and sharp cell borders, adopting a pavement-like architecture that simulated squamous cell carcinoma. Some cases demonstrated intracytoplasmic hyaline inclusions suggestive of keratinization. The nests of tumor cells often showed central comedo-like areas of necrosis. Intercellular bridges were not seen in any of the cases. The tumors often displayed marked clearing of the cytoplasm enhancing their epidermoid appearance. In 4 cases, the solid pseudosquamous areas were seen to merge with a focal lepidic adenocarcinoma component, and in 1 case, abortive microscopic foci of acinar differentiation were also noted within the tumor. One case showed focal sarcomatoid spindle cell areas. The tumor cells were negative for p40 and CK5/6 and labeled with TTF1 or Napsin-A, confirming an adenocarcinoma phenotype. Clinical follow-up information was available in 8 patients; 6 patients died of their tumors between 6 months to 11 years after diagnosis (mean: 3.1y). One patient died of complications related to surgery and one patient with a low-stage tumor died at 27 years from other causes. Solid pattern adenocarcinomas can be confused for squamous cell carcinoma and may require immunohistochemistry to determine their true phenotype.

New Immunohistochemical Markers for Pleural Mesothelioma Subtyping.

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) comprises three main subtypes: epithelioid, biphasic and sarcomatoid, which have different impacts on prognosis and treatment definition. However, PM subtyping can be complex given the inter- and intra-tumour morphological heterogeneity. We aim to use immunohistochemistry (IHC) to evaluate five markers (Mesothelin, Claudin-15, Complement Factor B, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 and p21-activated Kinase 4), whose encoding genes have been previously reported as deregulated among PM subtypes. Immunohistochemical expressions were determined in a case series of 73 PMs, and cut-offs for the epithelioid and non-epithelioid subtypes were selected. Further validation was performed on an independent cohort (30 PMs). For biphasic PM, the percentage of the epithelioid component was assessed, and IHC evaluation was also performed on the individual components separately. Mesothelin and Claudin-15 showed good sensitivity (79% and 84%) and specificity (84% and 73%) for the epithelioid subtype. CFB and PAK4 had inferior performance, with higher sensitivity (89% and 84%) but lower specificity (64% and 36%). In the biphasic group, all markers showed different expression when comparing epithelioid with sarcomatoid areas. Mesothelin, Claudin-15 and CFB can be useful in subtype discrimination. PAI1 and PAK4 can improve component distinction in biphasic PM.

A Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma with Clear Cell Papillary-Like Primary Tumor and Lymph Node Metastasis: A Diagnostic Conundrum.

Clear cell papillary renal cell tumor (CCPRCT) is a distinct clinical entity with characteristic pathological features and non-aggressive clinical behavior. Diagnostically challenging cases present when there are immunomorphological findings of CCPRCT associated with heterogeneous morphologies, aggressive histological features, and advanced pathological stages-so-called CCPRCT-like tumors. In this report, we describe a heterogeneous, multifocal renal tumor with immunomorphological characteristics of CCPRCT but with associated aggressive features such as sarcomatoid and necrotic areas, perirenal and sinus fat involvement, and most notably, lymph node metastasis composed entirely of classic CCPRCT morphology and immunophenotype. Immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies did not support a translocation renal cell carcinoma. Molecular analyses did not identify common mutations or chromosomal abnormalities seen in clear cell renal cell carcinoma or ELOC-mutated renal cell carcinoma. This case highlights that rare renal cell tumors remain difficult to classify and the distinction between CCPRCT and CCPRCT-like tumors remains to be better defined.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with basaloid features are genetically and prognostically similar to conventional squamous cell carcinoma

AbstractWe compared clinicopathologic and molecular features of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with basaloid features to conventional SCC using surgical resections of treatment naïve esophageal carcinomas and cases available from the TCGA database. Twenty-two cases of SCC with basaloid features were identified in the Mass General Brigham pathology archives, including 9 cases with pure basaloid morphology and 13 cases with mixed other features such as conventional well- or poorly differentiated areas or sarcomatoid areas. Thirty-eight cases of conventional SCC matched by tumor stage were used as controls. HPV infection status was tested by p16 immunohistochemistry and HPV mRNA ISH. Digital slides for 94 cases of esophageal SCC from TCGA found in the Genomic Data Commons (GDC) Data Portal were reviewed. Five cases of SCC with basaloid features were identified. Genomic profiles of SCC with basaloid features were compared to the rest of 89 SCCs without basaloid features. In addition, eight tumor sections from six patients selected from our cohort underwent in-house molecular profiling. Compared to conventional SCC, SCC with basaloid features were more frequently associated with diffuse or multifocal squamous dysplasia (p < 0.001). P16 IHC was positive in 2/13 cases, whereas HPV mRNA ISH was negative in 17/17 cases (including both p16-positive cases). SCC with basaloid features and conventional SCC from TCGA showed similar rates of TP53 mutations, CDKN2A/B deletions, and CCDN1 amplifications. TP53 variants were identified in all in-house samples that had sufficient coverage. Survival analyses between SCC with basaloid features versus conventional SCC (matched for tumor stage) did not reveal any statistically significant differences. In conclusion, esophageal SCC with basaloid features has similar survival and genomic alterations to those of conventional SCC, are more frequently associated with diffuse or multifocal dysplasia, and are not associated with HPV (high-risk strains) infection.

Genomic alteration in rare subtype of sarcomatoid salivary duct carcinoma

AimsSalivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is an aggressive salivary gland neoplasm with a poor prognosis. Morphologically, it has many variants including sarcomatoid SDC. We evaluated the morphological features, immunohistochemistry profile, and genomic alteration of the rare variant, sarcomatoid SDC. Methods and resultsWe evaluated the clinicopathological and molecular pathology for rare variant of sarcomatoid SDC. Among 102 SDC patients, three had sarcomatoid SDC. Review of clinicopathological features and immunohistochemistry and targeted exome sequencing was performed according to carcinomatous and sarcomatoid areas, respectively. The tumors were present in two submandibular glands and one parotid gland. In one case, a SDC arose in carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma. All consisted of a conventional invasive ductal carcinoma area and sarcomatoid features including spindle cells and multinucleated giant cells. AR and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) were positive in both carcinoma and sarcomatoid areas. Cytokeratin AE1/AE3 were negative in all sarcomatoid areas. Targeted exome sequencing revealed multiple heterogeneous alterations including PIK3CA and TP53. Genomic alterations were nearly identical between typical carcinoma and sarcomatoid areas. ConclusionsClinicopathological features of sarcomatoid SDCs were not different from typical SDC, and genomic alteration according to subtypes was also similar to that of the conventional type. Androgen receptor (AR) expression is helpful in the diagnosis of SDC. The findings indicate that EMA and AR are useful in diagnosing sarcomatoid SDC when the tumor is composed of predominantly sarcomatoid components.

Epithelioid glioblastoma with BRAF V600E mutation: a clinicopathological and molecular study

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of the epithelioid glioblastoma (eGBM) with BRAF V600E mutation. Methods: Sixteen cases of eGBM with BRAF V600E mutation diagnosed at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University, China from 2012 to 2019 were collected. Their clinicopathological and molecular characteristics were analyzed. Results: The range of patients' age was from 7 to 61 years (median 31.5 years). There were 4 males and 12 females, with a male to female ratio of 1∶3. Eleven cases were newly diagnosed eGBM and five cases had a previous history of astrocytomas. Most of the tumors were located in the cerebral hemisphere, often in the frontal lobe, with an average diameter of 4.6 cm (2.0-8.0 cm). The tumors were composed of relatively uniform, closely packed epithelioid cells, some showing discohesion, with distinct cell membrane, eosinophilic cytoplasm, eccentric nuclei, distinct nucleoli and mitotic activity. Palisaded/coagulative necrosis was seen in all cases. Glomerular microvascular proliferation was seen in most of the cases, while mono-or multi-nucleated tumor giant cells were seen in some cases. Focal sarcomatoid area was seen in 2 cases, and focal pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA)-like area was seen in 3 cases. Immunohistochemistry showed variable positivity for GFAP, Olig2 and p53. The median Ki-67 index was 30% (10%-50%). Only one case lost ATRX protein expression. Sanger sequencing identified the BRAF V600E mutation in all sixteen patients. Five cases also had mutations in the TERT gene promoter. No IDH1 (R132) or IDH2 (R172) mutation was detected. Surgical resection of the tumors was performed for all patients, and 3 patients also received adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Follow-up data were available for 15 patients, with a follow-up time of 1-89 months (median 10 months). Among the 15 patients, 7 patients died of disease and another 5 patients had recurrences. The overall survival time of the patients under 35 years of age was significantly longer than that of the patients aged 35 years or older (P=0.014), but their progression-free survival was not statistically different (P=0.232). Conclusions: eGBM with BRAF V600E mutation is more commonly detected in young women than other the populations (i.e. elderly or male). The epithelioid morphology should include rhabdoid meningioma, anaplastic PXA, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, metastatic tumors, and melanoma in its differential diagnosis. PXA-like area is observed in some eGBM cases, suggesting a relationship of these two types of tumor. eGBM is a high-grade malignant tumor and most of the cases show recurrences or deaths in a short-period time. The younger patients have a relatively better prognosis than the older ones.

Comparison of the clinicopathological features between adenoid basal cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma of the cervix

Objective: To compare the clinical and histopathological characteristics of cervical adenoid basal cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma for improving the diagnosis accuracy and differential diagnosis of these tumors. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 9 cases of cervical adenoid basal cell carcinoma and 3 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma which were diagnosed and consulted at the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from March 2009 to April 2019. Detailed clinical data were reviewed. All pathological sections and immunohistochemical results were reviewed and the clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Follow-up information by telephone was collected and relevant literature was consulted. Results: Both tumors were more commonly found in postmenopausal women (the age of onset ranged 43-74 years). Adenoid basal cell carcinoma was often clinical asymptomatic. Most of them presented as abnormal smears of the cervix during physical examination, and there was no definite mass in colposcopy.Adenoid cystic carcinoma was mostly presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. A mass was seen in colposcopy.Histologically, the two tumors were characterized by nest-like growth of the tumors, consisting of basal-like tumor cells, and often surrounded by palisade structures. The two lesions might coexist, or be mixed with squamous cell carcinoma or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The difference was that adenoid basal cell carcinoma was mostly located at the junction of cervical squamous epithelium and columnar epithelium and beneath the overlying epithelium, the tumor cells were arranged in nests, with squamous differentiation in the center of the nests, or in double-layer adenoid arrangement. The cell morphology was bland with occasional mitoses, and the stromal reaction was not obvious. And adenoid cystic carcinoma cells in the nest arranged like a sieve, the homogenous red-stained and blue-stained secretions were observed in the sieve holes, with obvious cell atypia, frequent mitoses, and obvious stromal reaction.In one case of adenoid cystic carcinoma, sarcomatoid area presented around the nests.Both of them were positive in clinical HPV test. Among the 9 cases of adenoid basal cell carcinoma, 3 were tested for HPV and 5 were tested for p16, and all showed positive expression. Among the 3 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma, 2 were tested for HPV and 3 were tested for p16, both of which showed positive expression. Telephone follow-up was conducted by June 2019(follow-up time ranged 2-37 months). No recurrence or metastasis occurred in 7 of the 9 cases of adenoid basal cell carcinoma, while 1 case had a ground-glass nodule in lung and another had recurrence of vaginal stump 32 months after the surgery.One case of adenoid cystic carcinoma developed lung metastasis 8 months after surgery and died 2 years after surgery; another case was followed up for 6 months, which showed no recurrence or metastasis; the third case was lost to follow-up. Conclusions: Both adenoid cystic carcinoma and adenoid basal cell carcinoma of the cervix are the tumors originating from cervical reserve cells and are associated with high-risk HPV infection. Due to the differences in clinical treatment and prognosis, careful histological evaluation and immunohistochemical analysis should be carried out to make accurate pathological diagnosis.

Sarcomatoid Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma with Heterologous Component

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignant renal tumor in adults, while chromophobe RCC (CRCC) is the third most common. Any subtypes of RCC can undergo sarcomatoid differentiation, but heterologous differentiation in sarcomatoid area is very rare in RCC. Here a 61-year male is presented with hematuria and palpable mass. Clinicoradiologically, RCC was considered and left radical nephrectomy was performed. A well-circumscribed renal mass located in the upper pole of the left kidney with variegation and extensive areas of bony hard calcification noted, was reported as CRCC with sarcomatoid differentiation containing heterologous component. CRCC subtype has good prognosis but show dismal prognosis when associated with sarcomatous differentiation. We found 11 cases of sarcomatoid CRCC containing heterologous elements reported in indexed English literature. CRCC must be differentiated from Conventional RCC and Oncocytoma. The extensive sampling of the tumor is needed. We report a very rare case of CRCC with sarcomatoid differentiation containing heterologous elements.

Histopathological Study and Expression of CD 117 in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background: Hypernephroma or Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) accounts for over 90% of all malignancies of the kidney occurring in adults. Of all renal cell carcinomas, Clear cell carcinoma accounts for around two-thirds to three-quarters and Chromophobe RCC accounts for around 5%. The present study highlights the diagnostic usefulness of CD117 as a phenotypic marker in Renal Cell Carcinoma. Methods: Current study include 48 cases of histopathology proven renal cell carcinoma. Each case was reviewed and classified according to the WHO classification criteria. The expression of CD117 was assessed using immunohistochemistry. Result: Of the 48 cases studied, 6cases, that is 2 case of Papillary RCC and 3 case of Chromophobe RCC showed moderate intensity and diffuse positivity for CD 117 and 1case of clear cell RCC with sarcomatoid areas showed mild and focal positivity. Papillary RCC showed both cytoplasmic and membrane positivity, while Chromophobe RCC showed mainly membranous positivity. Sarcomatoid areas showed weak cytoplasmic positivity. Conclusion: Histopathology supported by immunohistochemistry is a helpful tool in subtyping the various RCC. Treatment options in advanced disease is minimal. CD 117 positivity may favour the use of targeted therapy in renal cell carcinomas.

Targeted sequencing of plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma reveals frequent TERT promoter mutations

Activating mutations in the promoter of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene are the most common genetic alterations in urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder and upper urinary tract. Although the cadherin 1 (CDH1) gene is commonly mutated in the clinically aggressive plasmacytoid variant of urothelial carcinoma (PUC), little is known about their TERT promoter mutation status. A retrospective search of our archives for PUC and UC with plasmacytoid and/or signet ring cell features (2007-2014) was performed. Ten specimens from 10 patients had archived material available for DNA analysis and were included in the study. Intratumoral areas of nonplasmacytoid histology were also evaluated when present. Samples were analyzed for TERT promoter mutations with Safe-SeqS, a sequencing error-reduction technology, and sequenced using a targeted panel of the 10 most commonly mutated genes in bladder cancer on the Illumina MiSeq platform. TERT promoter mutations were detected in specimens with pure and focal plasmacytoid features (6/10). Similar to conventional UC, the predominant mutation identified was g.1295228C>T. In heterogeneous tumors with focal variant histology, concordant mutations were found in plasmacytoid and corresponding conventional, glandular, or sarcomatoid areas. Co-occurring mutations in tumor protein p53 (TP53, 2 cases) and kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) viral proto-oncogene (1 case) were also detected. TERT promoter mutations are frequently present in PUC, which provides further evidence that TERT promoter mutations are common events in bladder cancer, regardless of histologic subtype, and supports their inclusion in any liquid biopsy assay for bladder cancer.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma associated with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a series of 28 cases

The association of sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) with small cell carcinoma (SCC) has not been systematically studied. We identified 39 consult cases between 2001 and 2016 with available slides for review in 28 cases. There were 19 men and 9 women (mean age: 78 years [51-89]). In 26 (92.8%) cases, the sarcomatoid component had nonspecific malignant spindle cells, 4 (14%) chondrosarcoma, 2 (7%) myxoid sarcomatous, 1 (3.5%) osteosarcoma, and 1 (3.5%) rhabdomyosarcoma. The predominant component was SCC in 11 (39%) cases, urothelial carcinoma in 6 (21%), sarcomatoid in 3 (10%), and equal sarcomatoid and SCC in 8 (29%). There were 3 morphological groups: group 1 (18/28 [64%]) showed a gradual transition from SCC to other components; group 2 (5/28 [18%]) had an abrupt transition from SCC to other components; and in group 3 (5/28 [18%]), the SCC was separate from other components. In group 1, 12 (66%) cases of SCC showed a gradual transition to sarcomatoid areas; 3 (17%) to urothelial carcinoma; and 3 (17%) to multiple components including squamous cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, and sarcomatoid. Mortality did not differ based on pathological groups. The 36-month actuarial risk of death was 64.3%. The multitude of different components in these tumors is further evidence of the remarkable ability of carcinoma of the bladder to show divergent differentiation with, in some cases, gradual transition between SCC and other elements including sarcomatoid. Greater recognition of this entity with chemotherapy targeted to the various histological elements may have important therapeutic implications.

Genomic Characterization of Renal Cell Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid Dedifferentiation Pinpoints Recurrent Genomic Alterations

BackgroundThe genomic features underpinning renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation (sRCC) are not well understood, and at present, there are no specific or effective therapies for sRCC. ObjectiveTo identify genomic alterations in patients with sRCC. Design, setting, and participantsWe conducted genomic profiling on paired epithelial and sarcomatoid areas of three sRCC cases. Genomic profiling was performed on another 23 sRCC patients harboring diverse epithelial components (total of 26 cases). Genomic profiling was conducted using a hybrid capture DNA next-generation sequencing assay of 236 cancer-related genes plus 19 genes frequently rearranged in cancer. Results were compared with 56 similarly sequenced cases of clear cell RCC (ccRCC) devoid of a sarcomatoid component, and with clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Four additional ccRCC cases underwent whole exome sequencing. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisGenomic alterations in patients with sRCC and ccRCC were described, and their frequencies were compared using the Fisher exact test. Results and limitationsTwo of three patients with sRCC who underwent genomic profiling of both their epithelial and sarcomatoid components demonstrated identical mutational profiles, and a third case demonstrated commonly disrupted genes. Of the 26 sRCCs, TP53 (42.3%), VHL (34.6%), CDKN2A (26.9%), and NF2 (19.2%) were the most frequently altered genes. NF2 mutations were mutually exclusive with TP53 but not with VHL mutations. Limitations include the small sample size. ConclusionsWe found that sRCC contains different driver mutations than ccRCC. The epithelial and sarcomatoid components of sRCC largely contain the same genomic features. On the basis of harboring either TP53 or NF2 mutations, sRCC can be divided into two groups. These findings may have implications for understanding the oncogenesis of sarcomatoid renal tumors and for defining systemic treatment options. Patient summaryNext-generation sequencing of tumors from patients with sarcomatoid kidney cancer reveals mutations that differ from those in nonsarcomatoid patients. These findings have implications in understanding the pathobiology of sarcomatoid kidney cancer and indicate the need for a different treatment approach in these patients.

Comprehensive genomic profiling of renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation to pinpoint recurrent genomic alterations.

537 Background: Renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation (sRCC) is found in five percent of all renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cases, and has a significantly worse prognosis relative to matched highgrade RCC with only epithelial elements. The genomic features underpinning sRCC are not well understood, and at present, there are no specific or effective therapies for sRCC. Methods: We conducted comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) on paired epithelial and sarcomatoid areas of 3 sRCC cases. In the course of routine clinical care, CGP was performed on another 23 sRCC harboring diverse epithelial components. CGP was conducted using a hybrid capture next generation DNA sequencing assay(NGS) of 236 cancer-related genes plus 19 genes frequently rearranged in cancer. Results were compared with 56 similarly sequenced cases of clear cell RCC devoid of sarcomatoid component, and with clear cell TCGA. Results: Two of three sRCC cases that underwent CGP of both their epithelial and the sarcomatoid components demonstrated identical mutational profiles, and a third case demonstrated commonly disrupted genes. Of the 23 sRCC, TP53(43%), CDKN2A(30%), VHL(26%) and NF2(22%) were the most frequently altered genes. NF2 mutations were mutually exclusive with TP53 but not with VHL mutations. Conclusions: Two of three sRCC cases that underwent CGP of both their epithelial and the sarcomatoid components demonstrated identical mutational profiles, and a third case demonstrated commonly disrupted genes. Of the 23 sRCC, TP53(43%), CDKN2A(30%), VHL(26%) and NF2(22%) were the most frequently altered genes. NF2 mutations were mutually exclusive with TP53 but not with VHL mutations.

Validation and utilization of a TFE3 break-apart FISH assay for Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma and alveolar soft part sarcoma.

BackgroundXp11.2 or TFE3 translocation renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) are characterized by chromosome translocations involving the Xp11.2 breakpoint resulting in transcription factor TFE3 gene fusions. The most common translocations documented in TFE3 RCCs are t(X;1) (p11.2;q21) and t(X;17) (p11.2;q25) which leads to fusion of TFE3 gene on Xp11.2 with PRCC or ASPL respectively. TFE3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been inconsistent over time due to background staining problems in part related to fixation issues. Karyotyping to detect TFE3 gene rearrangement requires typically unavailable fresh tissue. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is generally very challenging due to degradation of RNA in archival material. The study objective was to develop and validate a TFE3 break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay to confirm Xp11 translocation RCCs and ASPS.MethodsRepresentative sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were selected in 40 possible cases. Approximately 60 tumor cells were analyzed in the targeted region. The validation of TFE3 FISH was done with 11 negative and two positive cases. Cut off for a positive result was validated as >7.15 % positive nuclei with any pattern of break-apart signals. FISH evaluation was done blinded of the immunohistochemical or karyotype data.ResultsThree out of forty cases were positive for the TFE3 break-apart signals by FISH. The negative cases were reported as clear cell RCC with papillary features (10), clear cell RCC with sarcomatoid areas (2), Papillary RCC with clear cell areas (9), Chromophobe RCC (2), RCC, unclassified type (3) and renal medullary carcinoma (1). 3 of the negative cases were consultation cases for renal tumor with unknown histology. Seven negative cases were soft tissue tumor suspicious for ASPS.ConclusionOur study validates the utility of TFE3 break-apart FISH on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections for diagnosis and confirmation of Xp11.2 translocation RCCs and ASPS.

Angiogenic profile and pathological features in the prediction of clinical outcome of advanced renal cell carcinoma patients receiving sunitinib.

458 Background: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) ever represented a challenge in patients’ treatment, there is a wide variability in the amount and duration of response among patients. It has been previously reported how VEGF and VEGFRs SNPs could predict response to treatment with sunitinib. Tumour heterogeinity is a matter of debate in mRCC. The aim of our study is to assess if pathological features and the expression of VEGF and VEGFRs polymorphisms in tumour, metastatic, and normal renal tissues could have a role in patients’ treatment and prognosis. Methods: We enrolled 123 patients treated at our institution. We collected histologic samples of tumour, metastatic, and normal renal tissue of 92 patients with mRCC treated with first-line sunitinib. For 21 patients, all three tissues were available. A pathological revision was conducted evaluating: granular cells percentage, grading, necrosis, regressive and sarcomatoid areas, and vascularization pattern. Histologic samples were tested for VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGFR-1,2,3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Polymorphisms were correlated with pathological features and PFS and OS. We then analysed concordance in SPNs expression among tissues. Results: VEGF A rs833061, VEGF A rs699947, VEGF A rs2010963, and VEGR3 rs6877011 were confirmed as significant SNPs in PFS. 19 out of 21 patients presented concordance among tissues polymorphisms expression (97%). The presence of a G allele in the rs6877011 seems to correlate with a higher percentage of granular cells. The presence of C allele in rs2010963 correlates with an alterated vascularazation. Conclusions: A preliminary analysis of our data shows the predictive and prognostic value of angiogenic polymorphisms and their concordance in tumoral, metastatic, and normal tissue. Furthermore, they are correlated with the percentage of granular cells and the vascular architecture, with possible predictive and prognostic significance. Further data will be presented at the meeting.

Molecular-genetic analysis is essential for accurate classification of renal carcinoma resembling Xp11.2 translocation carcinoma.

Xp11.2-translocation renal carcinoma (TRCC) is suspected when a renal carcinoma occurs in young patients, patients with a prior history of exposure to chemotherapy and when the neoplasm has morphological features suggestive of that entity. We retrieved 20 renal tumours (from 17,500 archival cases) of which morphology arose suspicion for TRCC. In nine cases, TFE3 translocation was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis. In 9 of the remaining 11 TRCC-like cases (7 male, 4 female, aged 22-84 years), material was available for further study. The morphological spectrum was diverse. Six tumours showed a mixture of cells with eosinophilic or clear cytoplasm in tubular, acinar and papillary architecture. One case was high grade with epithelioid, spindle cell and sarcomatoid areas. Another showed tubular, solid, and papillary areas and foci containing spindle cells reminiscent of mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma. The third showed dyscohesive nests of large epithelioid and histiocytoid cells in a background of dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. By immunohistochemistry, keratin AE1/AE3 was diffusely positive in three tumours, while CK7 strongly stained one tumour and another focally and weakly. CD10 and Pax8 were expressed by eight, AMACR and vimentin by seven, CA-IX by four and TFE3 and cathepsin K by two tumours. Of the two TFE3-positive tumours, one showed polysomy of chromosome 7 and the other of 17; they were VHL normal and diagnosed as unclassifiable RCC. Of the seven TFE3-negative tumours, three showed polysomy of 7/17 and VHL abnormality and were diagnosed as combined clear cell RCC/papillary RCC. One TFE3-negative tumour with normal 7/17 but LOH 3p (VHL abnormality) was diagnosed as clear cell RCC. One TFE3-negative tumour with polysomy 7/17 but normal VHL was diagnosed as papillary RCC, and two with normal chromosomes 7/17 and VHL gene were considered unclassifiable. As morphological features and IHC are heterogeneous, TRCC-like renal tumours can only be sub-classified accurately by multi-parameter molecular-genetic analysis.

Exuberant complex metaplastic carcinoma of the breast with SOX2 expression: Cove ring the full spectrum of ductal neoplasia of the breast

Abstract We report a unusual case of a 45-year-old woman with a massive metaplastic carcinoma of the breast with a complex admixture of components including giant pleomorphic cells, sarcomatoid areas, cysts with undifferentiated stratified epithelium, squamous carcinoma foci, high grade comedo-type ductal carcinoma in situ , high grade invasive carcinoma not otherwise specified (NOS) and foci with osseous differentiation. An extensive immunohistochemical panel showed expression of both epithelial and mesenchymal markers. The self-renewal marker SOX2 was expressed in different cell types, which was interpreted as a sign of the pluripotency what can in turn explain the diversity of histologic lineages present in this tumour.

GATA3 expression in sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

The current available data on GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA3) expression in sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma are limited, especially in the non-tissue microarray-based setting. In this study, we analyzed the expression of GATA3 in sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder in cystectomy/cystoprostatectomy specimens. A search was made through our surgical pathology and consultation files for cystectomy/cystoprostatectomy specimens with a diagnosis of sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma. Only cases with available tissue blocks were selected. Immunohistochemical staining for GATA3 was performed, and staining in adjacent/overlying conventional urothelial carcinoma and/or benign urothelium was also documented. Twenty-two cases were obtained. Of 22 cases, 16 (73%) of sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma were positive for GATA3. In the 7 (27%) of 22 cases that were negative for GATA3, it was observed that these cases were predominantly composed either of pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcomatoid areas or foci composed of extensive heterologous elements (chondroid, osteoid, or rhabdoid). GATA3 staining was positive in the adjacent/overlying conventional urothelial carcinoma and/or benign urothelium in all cases. This is one of the largest studies to date analyzing the expression of GATA3 in sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma in cystectomy/cystoprostatectomy specimens. GATA3 is expressed in most cases of sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma. Negative expression may, however, be observed in cases composed predominantly of pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcomatoid areas or extensive heterologous elements. We recommend including GATA3 in the panel of immunohistochemical stains for sarcomatoid carcinomas of unknown origin, especially if a bladder primary is being considered in the differential diagnosis.

The Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid Differentiation

We present a rare case of a 52-year-old woman with a chromofobe renal cell carcinoma that had sarcomatoid components. The tumor, 70x60mm in size, was incidentally found by abdominal ultrasonography. An abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a well-demarcated solid tumor arising from the upper pole of the right kidney. Histologically, the tumor was composed of two intermixed distinct morphologic components: a chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and a high-grade spindle cell sarcoma. There was a sarcomatoid area composed of highly atypical spindle cells intermingled with rhabdoid cells. A unique histological finding of this tumor was the presence of calcification and psammoma body formation throughout the tumor. We think that this case sup ports the existence of a tumor progression pathway from chromofob to sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. A literature review on sarcomatoid chromofobe renal cell carcinoma with calcification was performed