Biopsy of the Pigmented Lesions

Preoperative Ultrasound-Guided Incisional Biopsy Enhances the Pathological Accuracy of Incisional Biopsy of Cutaneous Melanoma: A Prospective Clinical Trial in Chinese Patients

OBJECTIVES

To assess the feasibility of preoperative ultrasound (US)-guided incisional biopsy through a prospective controlled clinical trial.

METHODS

This was a prospective, double-arm, single-center study of Chinese patients. Thirty patients were enrolled in the study. Fourteen patients received incisional biopsies for which the choice of biopsy area relied on a clinical evaluation, and 16 patients received incisional biopsies for which the choice of biopsy area relied on a US-guided evaluation. The following procedure was used in the US-guided incisional biopsy group: 1) clinical and dermoscopic evaluation of skin lesions; 2) US examination; 3) incisional biopsy; 4) surgical excision; and 5) histopathological examination. The same procedure was used in the non-US-guided group except without US examination.

RESULTS

In the non-US-guided group, the mean tumor thicknesses obtained from incisional biopsy and postoperative histopathological examination were 2.1 and 4.1 mm, respectively. Seven melanomas were underestimated by incisional biopsy, resulting in margins narrower than currently recommended. In the US-guided group, the mean tumor thicknesses obtained from US, incisional biopsy, and postoperative histopathological examination were 3.4, 2.9, and 2.7 mm, respectively. In only 3 melanomas was the tumor thickness of the incisional biopsy less than that of the postoperative histopathological examination, demonstrating that US-guided biopsy obtains the maximum thickness area.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative US-guided incisional biopsy can enhance the pathological accuracy of incisional biopsy, which may allow us to better perform surgical excision with safe peripheral surgical margins.

Management of a Unique Presentation of a Common Dermatologic Condition

CONTEXT

Skin rashes are a common complaint seen in the primary care setting. There are many dermatologic conditions which a primary care provider (PCP) should be able to recognize and manage. One such condition is granuloma annulare (GA), which commonly presents as smooth, annular plaques on the trunk and/or extremities. Rashes like GA rarely present as unique variants and may be difficult for PCPs to determine from patient history and physical exam alone. Patch granuloma annulare (patch GA) is an example that may clinically mimic a cutaneous lymphoma known as mycosis fungoides (MF). PCPs should ideally be able to recognize the utility of performing a skin biopsy and/or referring the patient to a dermatologist when history and physical exam alone are insufficient. The histologic findings of skin biopsies often become essential in establishing a proper diagnosis and guiding patient management in unique dermatologic variants.

EXAMPLE CASE

The patient in this clinical practice report is a Caucasian female in her late 60s who presented to a dermatology clinic with a two-year history of a worsening widespread eruption on her trunk and extremities. She had been evaluated previously by her PCP about 4 months prior and, without obtaining skin biopsies, treated her with a medium potency topical corticosteroid cream. The eruption had spread over her hips, buttocks, back, thighs, wrists, and elbows. Multiple skin biopsies of affected sites were taken by the second author and revealed findings consistent with patch GA. The patient was started on topical betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% ointment twice daily and noted marked improvement of her symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Although GA is a benign condition of the skin that may be readily detected by PCPs, skin biopsies may be necessary to establish a proper diagnosis when this condition presents as a unique variant (e.g., patch GA). Therapy for patch GA often begins with a trial of high-potency topical steroid therapy in combination with ultraviolet light exposure, depending on disease severity and patient preference. Early evaluation with a skin biopsy by her PCP or an earlier referral to a dermatologist to have skin biopsies performed likely would have helped establish a prompter diagnosis and treatment plan for this patient.

The impact of incomplete clinical information and initial biopsy technique on the histopathological diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Increased rates of histopathological misdiagnosis of melanoma have been associated with incisional punch more so than shave biopsy when compared with complete excisional biopsy. It is unknown how the increasing utilisation of shave biopsy may impact melanoma diagnosis. The extent to which the provision of clinical information to the pathologist may improve diagnostic accuracy remains unclear. This study assessed the impact of both initial biopsy technique and provision of adequate clinical information to pathologists on the accuracy of histopathological diagnosis of melanoma and disease progression.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort with nested case-control study of all histopathological false-negative and false-positive melanoma diagnoses from January 2014 to May 2019 from the Victorian Melanoma Service electronic database. Cases were assessed for the initial biopsy type, provision of clinical information on pathology request forms and disease progression associated with false-negative diagnosis.

RESULTS

Partial shave biopsy had higher odds of false-negative (OR 5.19, 95% CI 2.89-9.32; P < 0.001) and false-positive diagnoses (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.45-2.63; P < 0.001) of melanoma when compared with elliptical excisional biopsy. These odds ratios were comparable with those found with incisional punch biopsy. Providing the suspected clinical diagnosis to pathologists also reduced the odds of false-negative diagnosis with melanoma progression by 3.8-fold (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

The choice of initial biopsy technique and providing the suspected clinical diagnosis to pathologists are important for correct histopathological diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma and prevention of further disease progression.

Re-biopsy of partially sampled thin melanoma impacts sentinel lymph node sampling as well as surgical margins

AIM

To assess the impact of re-biopsy on partially sampled melanoma in situ (MIS), atypical melanocytic proliferation (AMP) and thin invasive melanoma.

MATERIALS & METHODS

We retrospectively identified cases of re-biopsied partially sampled neoplasms initially diagnosed as melanoma in situ, AMP or thin melanoma (Breslow depth ≤0.75 mm).

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

Re-biopsy led to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in 18.3% of cases. No patients upstaged from AMP or MIS had a positive SLNB. One out of nine (11.1%) initially diagnosed as a thin melanoma ≤0.75 mm, upstaged with a re-biopsy, had a positive SLNB. After re-biopsy 8.5% underwent an increased surgical margin. Selective re-biopsy of partially sampled melanoma with gross residual disease can increase the accuracy of microstaging and optimize treatment regarding surgical margins and SLNB.

Supraclavicular lymph node incisional biopsies have no influence on the prognosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Supraclavicular lymph node (SCLN) biopsies play an important role in diagnosing and staging lung cancer. However, not all patients with SCLN metastasis can have a complete resection. It is still unknown whether SCLN incisional biopsies affect the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

METHODS

Patients who were histologically confirmed to have NSCLC with SCLN metastasis were enrolled in the study from January 2007 to December 2012 at Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute. The primary endpoint was OS, and the secondary endpoints were complications and local recurrence/progression.

RESULTS

Two hundred two consecutive patients who had histologically confirmed NSCLC with SCLN metastasis were identified, 163 with excisional and 39 with incisional biopsies. The median OS was not significantly different between the excisional (10.9 months, 95% CI 8.7-13.2) and incisional biopsy groups (10.1 months, 95% CI 6.3-13.9), P = 0.569. Multivariable analysis showed that an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) ≥2 (HR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.71-4.38, P < 0.001) indicated a worse prognosis. Having an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.84, P = 0.004) and receiving systemic treatment (HR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.25-0.53, P < 0.001) were associated with a favorable OS. Neither the number (multiple vs. single) nor site (bilateral vs. unilateral) of SCLNs was associated with an unfavorable OS, and SCLN size or fixed SCLNs did not affect OS.

CONCLUSIONS

SCLN incisional biopsies did not negatively influence the prognosis of NSCLC patients. It was safe and feasible to partly remove a metastatic SCLN as a last resort in advanced NSCLC.

Selected benign cutaneous lesions that may simulate melanoma histologically

As cutaneous melanomas manifest a wide spectrum of clinical and pathologic presentations, several other lesions enter into their differential diagnosis. This article considers those entities, including melanocytic hyperplasia, cellular nodules in congenital nevi, atypical lentiginous melanocytic proliferations, "special site" nevi, epithelioid histiocytoma, neurothekeoma, cellular schwannoma, and proliferating scars.