Low-Malignant Schwannoma of the Cervix in Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Systematic Review

Primary cervical melanocytic schwannomas, arising from the sympathetic chain, are very rare pigmented neural sheath tumors that, both grossly and clinically, are often misdiagnosed with other more frequent lesions of the uterine cervix. Literature review accounts for seventeen published cases of schwannomas of the cervix, ten of which are malignant and seven benign. Pathological examination with immunostaining techniques is essential for the correct diagnosis of these tumors. We report a case of primary cervical schwannoma in a 32-year-old female who was referred to our department at 13 weeks of gestation with a diagnosis of malignant melanoma of the cervix. Pathological review detailed a neoplasm with a myxoid spindle cell component and a minority of small epithelioid cells, with a low-malignant potential proliferation index: morphological and immunocytochemical findings were compatible with the diagnosis of nerve sheath tumor, type schwannoma. The patient underwent a vaginal trachelectomy and a prophylactic Shirodkar’s cerclage. Pregnancy was carried on without any negative event. The patient delivered by a caesarean section a healthy female newborn. Placental histology was negative. After 6 years from the first diagnosis, the patient is healthy and disease free.

Deep Learning for Prediction of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Resection or Liver Transplantation: a Discovery and Validation Study

Background: There is a growing need for new improved classifiers of prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients to stratify them effectively. Methods: A deep learning model was developed on a total of 1118 patients from 4 independent cohorts. A nucleus map set (n = 120) was used to train U-net to capture the nuclear architecture. The training set (n = 552) included HCC patients that had been treated by resection. The liver transplantation (LT) set (n = 144) contained patients with HCC that had been treated by LT. The train set and its nuclear architectural information extracted by U-net were used to train the MobileNet V2-based classifier (MobileNetV2_HCC_Class). The classifier was then independently tested on the LT set and externally validated on the TCGA set (n = 302). The primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS).Results: The MobileNetV2_HCC_Class was a strong predictor of RFS in both LT set and TCGA set. The classifier provided a hazard ratio of 3.44 (95% CI 2.01–5.87, p<0.001) for high risk versus low risk in the LT set, and 2.55 (95% CI: 1.64–3.99, p<0.001) when known prognostic factors, remarkable in univariable analyses on the same cohort, were adjusted. The MobileNetV2_HCC_Class maintained a relatively higher discriminatory power [time-dependent area under curve (AUC)] than other factors after LT or resection in the independent validation set. A pathological review demonstrated that tumoral areas with the highest recurrence predictability featured the following features: the presence of stroma, a high degree of cytological atypia, nuclear hyperchromasia, and a lack of immune cell infiltration.Conclusion: A prognostic classifier for clinical purposes had been proposed based on the use of deep learning on histological slides from HCC patients. This classifier assists in refining the prognostic prediction of HCC patients and identifies patients who have been benefited from more intensive management.

Thymic tumours and their special features

Thymic tumours are rare thoracic malignancies, that may be aggressive and difficult to treat. The pillars of the management include pathological review, consideration of differential diagnoses, staging and multidisciplinary discussion. Assessment of resectability is key to drive the treatment sequencing. Association with autoimmune diseases, especially myasthenia gravis, is observed, which impacts the oncological management. Networks are being built at the national and international levels. This article provides an overview of the most recent findings in the diagnosis, staging, histology, and management strategies of thymic tumours.

Survival and Recurrence in Pancreatobiliary Versus Intestinal Histology of Ampullary Carcinoma

Background: Ampullary carcinoma is rare with a more favourable prognosis compared to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The role of histological classification, including pancreatobiliary (PB) and intestinal (INT), on survival and recurrence outcomes in ampullary cancer is still debatable. Methods: 42 patients were identified between 1996-2010. Results: Nineteen classic pancreatoduodenectomies (PD) and 23 pylorus-preserving PDs were performed. Pathological review revealed 23, 18 and 1 patients with the PB, INT and mixed histology, respectively. Adjuvant chemoradiation (ACRT), chemotherapy, and radiation were given to 14 (33.3%), 4 (9.5%) and 2 (4.8%) patients, respectively. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) from time of surgery were higher in the PB histological variant compared to INT (p=0.005 and 0.012, respectively). A landmark (LM) analysis found higher survival in the PB variant patients compared to INT (RFS p=0.023; OS p=0.048). There was no difference in RFS between both histological variants for patients who underwent surgery alone (p=0.42). However, the PB had higher RFS compared to the INT histology for patients who underwent ACRT (p=0.008). Conclusion: Ampullary carcinoma with PB histological variant was associated with significant survival benefit. The PB versus INT survival benefit was seen in the setting of ACRT, but not with surgery alone.

Multicenter prospective in vivo study of an endocytoscope system (ECS) for superficial esophageal cancer

Background Endocytoscope systems (ECS) can visualize cellular nuclei of the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and are predicted to provide real-time microscopic diagnosis. However, their practical diagnostic performance remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a multicenter prospective study to evaluate the visualization of superficial esophageal neoplasm in vivo using an ECS, and its diagnostic capability. Methods The study target was histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN). An integrated ECS was used to obtain ECS images. In each patient, three ECS images of cancerous and corresponding noncancerous regions were selected for evaluation. A pathological review board of five certified pathologists made the final diagnosis of the images. The primary endpoint was the sensitivity of ECS diagnosis by pathologists. Results ECS images of 68 patients were assessed: 42 lesions were mucosal SCC, 13 were submucosal SCC, and 13 were HGIN. The rate of assessable images was 96% (95% CI 87.6–99.1). The sensitivity of ECS diagnosis by pathologists was 88% (95% CI 77.2–94.5). Conclusions ECS can provide high-quality images of cancerous lesions and a high diagnostic accuracy by pathologists, and could be useful for real-time endoscopic histological diagnosis of SCC and HGIN. Trial registration The UMIN Clinical Trials Registry Identification Number: 000004218

Why is LCIS Important—Pathological Review

Purpose of Review Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) encompasses classical LCIS and other rarer and more recently recognised variants, namely pleomorphic LCIS (PLCIS) and florid LCIS. Each of those entities has characteristic histological diagnostic criteria, different rates of underestimation of malignancy and recommended management. In addition, those lesions can mimic a number of benign and malignant breast lesions and can particularly be mistaken for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Accurate diagnosis of those lesions is critical to ensuring the appropriate patient management. Recent Findings Several international guidelines refining the pathological classification, staging and management of those lesions have recently been updated. This review will provide an up-to-date pathological overview of the current knowledge of LCIS with emphasis on the multidisciplinary management implications. Summary Close correlation between imaging and pathology in a multidisciplinary pathway is essential in LCIS management. Classical LCIS on core biopsy/vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) is coded as B3 and, if without discordant imaging, should further be sampled by vacuum-assisted excision (VAE). PLCIS should be coded and managed as per high-grade DCIS. Florid LCIS is a rare entity that is thought to be more aggressive than classical LCIS. Excision with clear margin is advised.

Clinical and reproductive outcomes of uterine smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential: a single-center retrospective study

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes, histopathological features, and obstetric and oncological outcomes of uterine smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP). Methods We conducted a single-center, database review of patients with STUMP between January 2001 and December 2015. We investigated the clinical, operative, histopathologic, recurrence, and fertility outcomes of the included cases. Results Nineteen patients with STUMP were studied. Three were reclassified as sarcoma after slide review, and 16 patients were finally included in the study. The mean age was 45 years. Ki-67 expression was ≥10% in 25.0% of cases and 30% in the only recurrent case. Recurrence occurred 52 months after a diagnosis of STUMP in a 56-year-old female patient who underwent hysterectomy. Two of six patients who underwent myomectomy had fertility requirements, and both successfully delivered babies without recurrence. Recurrence was not related to mitosis, degree of atypia, or necrosis. There was also no relationship between type of surgery or surgical approach and recurrence. Conclusions Patients with STUMP warrant a pathological review process in centers with experience. Fertility-preservation is worth attempting, but young patients must be followed-up closely. Ki-67 might be a valuable marker predicting recurrence.

Survival and biomarker analysis for ovarian mucinous carcinoma according to invasive patterns: retrospective analysis and review literature

Background In ovarian mucinous carcinoma, invasive pattern is the important factor but there were less reposts to investigate it. The aim of this study was to examine the association between prognosis and invasive patterns of ovarian mucinous carcinoma and to investigate the biomarkers of the diagnosis and prognosis immunochemically. Patients with ovarian mucinous carcinoma at our institution between 1984 and 2018 were identified. A pathological review was conducted using the 2020 World Health Organization criteria. The prognosis of infiltrative invasion and expansile invasion of ovarian mucinous carcinoma were retrospectively compared. In addition, immunohistochemical staining was conducted for all cases, and the immunohistochemical differences between the two invasive patterns were compared. Results After the pathological review, 25 cases with infiltrative invasion and 24 cases with expansile invasion were included. Ovarian mucinous carcinoma with infiltrative invasion showed significantly worse progression-free survival (PFS, p < 0.01) and overall survival (OS, p < 0.01) than those with expansile invasion. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the pattern of infiltrative invasion was a worse prognostic factor for PFS (hazard ratio 9.01, p < 0.01) and OS (hazard ratio 17.56, p < 0.01). Immunohistochemically, cytokeratin (CK) 5/6 (p = 0.01), cluster of differentiation (CD) 24 (p = 0.02), and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) (p < 0.01) were statistically related to infiltrative invasion. The PFS (p = 0.04) and OS (p = 0.02) of cases with EGFR-positive OMC were worse than those with negative OMC. Conclusions Infiltrative invasion was observed to be a prognostic factor showing worse outcomes for ovarian mucinous carcinoma compared to expansile infiltration. CK5/6, CD24, and EGFR might be biomarkers of the diagnosis.