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Ricci C, Ambrosi F, Grillini A, Massari F, Fiorentino M, Colecchia M, Ulbright TM, Acosta AM. Analysis of GATA3 and FOXA2 expression suggests that downregulation of genes involved in the maintenance of a mature yolk sac tumor phenotype may underlie sarcomatoid transformation. Virchows Arch 2024; 484:709-713. [PMID: 38141134 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03725-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
In the post-chemotherapy setting, germ cell tumors of the testis (GCTT) that resemble non-specific sarcomas and co-express cytokeratins and glypican-3 (GPC3) are diagnosed as "sarcomatoid yolk sac tumor postpubertal-type (YSTpt)". The diagnosis of sarcomatoid YSTpt is clinically relevant but challenging due to its rarity, non-specific histology, and negative α-fetoprotein (AFP) staining. Recently, FOXA2 has emerged as a key-gene in the reprogramming of GCTT (activating the transcription of several genes, among which GATA3), and immunohistochemical studies showed that GATA3 and FOXA2 have a higher sensitivity for non-sarcomatoid YSTpt than GPC3 and AFP. We found that sarcomatoid YSTpt did not express FOXA2 [0: 14/14 (100%)] and showed focal expression of GATA3 [0: 12/14 (85.7%), 1 + : 2/14 (14.3%)], thus suggesting that these markers are not useful in diagnosing this tumor. Furthermore, we proposed a potential mechanism of sarcomatoid transformation in the post-chemotherapy setting of GCTT, mediated by the downregulation of FOXA2 and GATA3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Ricci
- Pathology Unit, Maggiore Hospital-AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Francesca Ambrosi
- Pathology Unit, Maggiore Hospital-AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Massari
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Fiorentino
- Pathology Unit, Maggiore Hospital-AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Thomas M Ulbright
- Department of Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Andres Martin Acosta
- Department of Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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2
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Zhang B, Kapur P, Koduru PR, Jia L. Retroperitoneal Sarcomatoid Yolk Sac Tumor in a Chemotherapy-Naive Patient With Testicular Postpubertal Type Teratoma: A Rare Case Report With Emphasis on Molecular Features. Int J Surg Pathol 2024:10668969241231973. [PMID: 38377960 DOI: 10.1177/10668969241231973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Sarcomatoid yolk sac tumor is a very rare histologic type of testicular germ cell tumor and is mainly reported in testicular germ cell tumor patients who receive chemotherapy. Herein, we report an extremely rare concurrent retroperitoneal sarcomatoid yolk sac tumor in a man with a testicular postpuberal teratoma before he received chemotherapy. A 37-year-old man initially presented with a persistent abdominal pain. Subsequent imaging studies revealed a 9.6-cm retroperitoneal mass, and 2 testicular masses (3.1 cm and 0.9 cm in greatest dimension, respectively). His serum tumor markers were within normal ranges. His radical orchiectomy demonstrated a postpubertal type teratoma with an adjacent scarring nodule. Later, his retroperitoneal tumor showed spindle tumor cells embedded in predominantly myxoid and focally fibrous stroma with diffuse and strong immunoreactivity for keratin AE1/AE3, SALL4 and glypican 3. No tumor necrosis or brisk mitotic figures were observed. A diagnosis of sarcomatoid yolk sac tumor was rendered. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of his retroperitoneal sarcomatoid yolk sac tumor revealed polysomy 12 and MYC amplification, whereas no evidence of isochromosome 12p [i(12p)], and DNA sequencing showed 6 mutations per megabase (muts/Mb), and the somatic alterations included ARAF amplification and ATR I774Yfs*5. Considering its rarity, sarcomatoid yolk sac tumor may pose diagnostic challenges. Therefore, relevant clinicoradiologic information and ancillary work up, including immunohistochemistry and molecular studies, may be helpful for the accurate classification. Our tumor further raises awareness of this rare event, expands the spectrum of its clinical presentation, and explores the molecular features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Payal Kapur
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Prasad R Koduru
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Liwei Jia
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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3
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Lobo J, Acosta AM, Netto GJ. Molecular Biomarkers With Potential Clinical Application in Testicular Cancer. Mod Pathol 2023; 36:100307. [PMID: 37611872 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2023.100307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) and sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) are the most common testicular neoplasms. The morphologic spectrum of such tumors is wide, with several histologic subtypes within each group. Testicular tumors often represent a diagnostic challenge, requiring proper identification of their biologic potential for accurate risk stratification and selection of therapy. In the era of precision medicine, molecular biomarkers are increasingly assuming a critical role in the management of patients with cancer. Given the overall rarity of certain types of testicular neoplasms, progress in biomarker research has been relatively slow. However, in recent years, we have witnessed a multitude of important contributions, including both tissue-based and liquid biopsy biomarkers, stemming from important discoveries of tumor pathobiology, accurate histopathological analysis, multi-institutional studies, and genome-wide molecular analyses of specific tumor subtypes. In this review, we provide an overview of the progress in molecular biomarkers of TGCTs and SCSTs, focusing on those with greatest potential for clinical application. In TGCTs, developmental biology has been the key to understanding these tumors and identifying clinically useful biomarkers (from classical serum tumor markers to pluripotency factors and circulating microRNAs of the 371-373 cluster). For SCSTs, studies have focused on tissue biomarkers only, and genome-wide investigations have recently contributed to a better understanding of rare phenotypes and the aggressive biological behavior of some tumors within this nosologic category. Several new biomarkers are moving toward clinical implementation in this field. Therefore, the practicing pathologist should be aware of their strengths and limitations in order to utilize them properly and maximize their clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Lobo
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (P.CCC), Porto, Portugal; Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca & RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Porto, Portugal; Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Andres M Acosta
- Department of Pathology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - George J Netto
- Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
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4
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Fujii H, Yamada Y, Yamamura K, Ishida Y, Tsujimura M, Matsumoto K, Tanaka S, Date H, Nishikawa T, Yoshida Y, Kashima J, Yatabe Y, Ogawa S, Marx A, Ulbright TM, Haga H. A case of vasculogenic mesenchymal tumor in the mediastinum: whole-exome sequencing reveals origin from pre-existing germ cell tumor. Virchows Arch 2023; 482:923-927. [PMID: 36943470 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03529-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Vasculogenic mesenchymal tumor (VMT), a primitive mesenchymal neoplasm enriched by various-sized atypical vessels, is a new entity that develops in mediastinal germ cell tumors (GCTs) with yolk sac tumor (YST) components after chemotherapy. Notably, patients with VMT in the residual GCT have increased risk of developing sarcomas or hematopoietic malignancies. Here, we report a late-teenage male patient with residual teratoma and high-grade VMT after chemotherapy for a mediastinal mixed GCT, including YST. Whole-exome sequencing revealed biallelic inactivation of TP53 and extensive copy number alterations that suggested whole-genome doubling. The biopsy tissue of the mixed GCT before chemotherapy exhibited overlapping genetic alterations to those in the VMT. Immunohistochemical analyses of the VMT showed that the abnormal vessels were positive for cytokeratin, glypican 3, EZH2, and IMP3. The findings that VMT inherits the genetic alterations of pre-existing mixed GCT and exhibits a partly YST-like immunophenotype might contribute to its clinical aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotake Fujii
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yosuke Yamada
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Kentaro Yamamura
- Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Ishida
- Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Marina Tsujimura
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | | | - Satona Tanaka
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Date
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tadaaki Nishikawa
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Yoshida
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jumpei Kashima
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Yatabe
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seishi Ogawa
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Alexander Marx
- Institute of Pathology, Mannheim and Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Medical Centre, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Thomas M Ulbright
- Department of Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Hironori Haga
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
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Guo CC, Czerniak B. Reprint of: somatic-type malignancies in testicular germ cell tumors. Hum Pathol 2023; 133:102-114. [PMID: 36890027 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2023.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
The development of somatic-type malignancy (SM) in testicular germ cell tumor represents a major challenge in the diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer. Most SMs are derived from teratoma, and the remainder is associated with yolk sac tumor. They occur more frequently in metastases than in primary testicular tumors. SMs demonstrate a variety of histologic types, including sarcoma, carcinoma, embryonic-type neuroectodermal tumor, nephroblastoma-like tumor, and hematologic malignancy. Sarcoma, particularly rhabdomyosarcoma, accounts for the majority of SMs in the primary testicular tumors, whereas carcinoma, particularly adenocarcinoma, is the most common SM in metastases. Although SMs derived from testicular germ cell tumors mimic their histologic counterparts in other organs with overlapping immunohistochemical profiles, isochromosome 12p is present in most SMs, which can be useful in the differential diagnosis. The presence of SM in the primary testicular tumor may not worsen the outcome, but the development of SM in metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, somatic-type carcinoma is likely associated with a worse prognosis than somatic-type sarcoma. Although SMs respond poorly to the cisplatin-based chemotherapy, timely surgical resection is an effective treatment for most patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles C Guo
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77401, USA.
| | - Bogdan Czerniak
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77401, USA
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Siegmund SE, Mehra R, Acosta AM. An update on diagnostic tissue-based biomarkers in testicular tumors. Hum Pathol 2023; 133:32-55. [PMID: 35932825 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Testicular cancer is rare overall but comprises the most common solid malignancy diagnosed in young men aged ∼20-40 years. Most testicular neoplasms generally fall into 2 broad categories: germ cell tumors (GCTs; ∼95%) and sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs ∼5%). Given the relative rarity of these tumors, diagnostic biomarkers are highly relevant for their diagnosis. Over the past several decades, diagnostic biomarkers have improved dramatically through targeted immunohistochemical and molecular characterization. Despite these recent advances, most markers are not perfectly sensitive or entirely specific. Therefore, they need to be used in combination and interpreted in context. In this review, we summarize tissue-based biomarkers relevant to the pathologist, with a focus on practical diagnostic issues that relate to testicular GCT and SCST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Siegmund
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Rohit Mehra
- Department of Pathology and Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, 1500, East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Andres M Acosta
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Molecular correlates of male germ cell tumors with overgrowth of components resembling somatic malignancies. Mod Pathol 2022; 35:1966-1973. [PMID: 36030288 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-022-01136-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A small subset of male germ cell tumors (GCT) demonstrates overgrowth of histologic components that resemble somatic malignancies (e.g., sarcoma, carcinoma). The presence of so-called "somatic-type" malignancies (SM) in GCT has been associated with chemotherapy-resistance and poor clinical outcomes in prior studies. However, the molecular characteristics of these tumors remain largely undescribed. In this study, we performed a multi-platform molecular analysis of GCTs with SM diagnosed in 36 male patients (primary site: testis, 29 and mediastinum, 7). The most common histologic types of SM were sarcoma and embryonic-type neuroectodermal tumor (ENT, formerly known as "PNET"), present in 61% and 31% of cases, respectively. KRAS and TP53 mutations were identified by DNA sequencing in 28% of cases each, with enrichment of TP53 mutations in mediastinal tumors (86%). Gains in the short arm of chromosome 12 were seen in 91% of cases, likely reflecting the presence of isochromosome 12p. Numerous copy number changes indicative of widespread aneuploidy were found in 94% of cases. Focal homozygous deletions and amplifications were also detected, including MDM2 amplifications in 16% of cases. Sequencing of paired samples in 8 patients revealed similar mutational and copy number profiles in the conventional GCT and SM components. Oncogenic gene fusions were not detected using RNA sequencing of SM components from 9 cases. DNA methylation analysis highlighted the distinct methylation profile of SM components that sets them apart from conventional GCT components. In conclusion, GCT with SM are characterized by widespread aneuploidy, a distinct epigenetic signature and the presence of mutations that are otherwise rare in testicular GCT without SM. The similarity of the mutational and DNA methylation profiles of different histologic types of SM suggests that the identification of SM components could be more important than their precise histologic subclassification, pending confirmation by further studies.
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8
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Guo CC, Czerniak B. Somatic-Type Malignancies in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. Hum Pathol 2022; 127:123-135. [PMID: 35803413 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The development of somatic-type malignancy (SM) in testicular germ cell tumor represents a major challenge in the diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer. Most SMs are derived from teratoma, and the remainder is associated with yolk sac tumor. They occur more frequently in metastases than in primary testicular tumors. SMs demonstrate a variety of histologic types, including sarcoma, carcinoma, embryonic-type neuroectodermal tumor, nephroblastoma-like tumor, and hematologic malignancy. Sarcoma, particularly rhabdomyosarcoma, accounts for the majority of SMs in the primary testicular tumors, whereas carcinoma, particularly adenocarcinoma, is the most common SM in metastases. Although SMs derived from testicular germ cell tumors mimic their histologic counterparts in other organs with overlapping immunohistochemical profiles, isochromosome 12p is present in most SMs, which can be useful in the differential diagnosis. The presence of SM in the primary testicular tumor may not worsen the outcome, but the development of SM in metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, somatic-type carcinoma is likely associated with a worse prognosis than somatic-type sarcoma. Although SMs respond poorly to the cisplatin-based chemotherapy, timely surgical resection is an effective treatment for most patients.
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