[Clinicopathological features of clear cell carcinoma of salivary gland in the head and neck]

Objective: To investigate the clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical (IHC) and molecular genetic features of clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of salivary gland in the head and neck regions. Methods: Seven cases of CCC diagnosed in the Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2018 to 2021 were included. The clinical and pathologic data, HE sections and IHC staining were reviewed, and EWSR1 gene translocation was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The relevant literature was also reviewed. Results: There were five males and two females, with an age range of 32 to 71 years (mean 50 years). The tumors were located in the palate, base of tongue, subglottic, right submaxillary and nasopharynx. Histologically the tumors were composed of sheets, nests, and trabecular of large, monomorphic cells which possessed abundant clear and eosinophilic cytoplasm. The stroma was characterized by abundant hyalinized fibrous strands admixed with cellular fibrous (desmoplastic) tissue. The tumor growth was infiltrative. IHC staining revealed positivity for CKpan and squamous cell immunophenotypic markers (CK5/6, p63 and p40), but negativity for myoepithelial markers (SMA, calponin, GFAP and CD10). The EWSR1 gene translocation was detected by FISH. The prognosis was excellent, with the follow-up periods ranging from 8 months to 33 months. During this period, six patients survived without tumor, only one patient with cervical lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: CCC of salivary gland is rare and needs to be differentiated from various other types of tumors containing clear cells. Awareness of the histopathologic characteristics, and combined with IHC and molecular genetic examination can avoid misdiagnosis. The biological behavior of the tumor is indolent with a good overall prognosis.

[Clinicopathological features of ectopic meningothelial hamartoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ectopic meningothelial hamartoma (EMH). Methods: Three cases of EMH diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2014 to December 2020 were enrolled. All cases were evaluated by clinical and imaging features, HE and immunohistochemical staining, and the relevant literature was reviewed. Results: There were one male and two female patients, aged 2, 67 and 19 years, respectively. Clinically, they presented as skin masses in the head and face region (two cases) and sacro-coccygeal region (one case). Grossly, the lesions ranged in size from 1.6 cm to 8.9 cm. Microscopically, the lesions were ill-defined, and located in the dermis and subcutis, and showed pseudovascular channels lined by monolayer of cuboidal to flattened epithelium with mild atypia, with variable cystic cavity formation. There was prominent interstitial fibrosis. Concentric, lamellated, onion skin-like arrangement with short spindle or ovoid cells and psammoma bodies were noted. Immunohistochemically, these cells were strongly positive for SSTR2, EMA, vimentin and progesterone receptor. Ki-67 positive index was low, approximately 1%. Conclusions: EMH is uncommon. Definitive diagnosis relies on histopathologic examination. The importance in recognizing the lesions is to differentiate from other more aggressive tumors.

[Clinicopathological significance of cyclin D1 expression in Rosai-Dorfman disease]

Objective: To study the clinicopathological significance of cyclin D1 expression in Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD). Methods: Seventeen cases of RDD were evaluated by HE, immunohistochemical staining and molecular genetic analysis. Expression of cyclin D1 was compared between RDDs and control group that included 29 cases of reactive histiocytosis, 9 cases of IgG4-related disease, and 2 cases of Erdheim-Chester disease. Results: Cyclin D1 was expressed in RDDs (17/17), reactive histiocytosis (11/29), IgG4-related diseases (3/9), and Erdheim-Chester disease (2/2), respectively, with nuclear staining in the RDD cells or proliferative histiocytes. Chi-square test showed that expression of cyclin D1 was significantly higher in RDDs than in reactive histiocytosis and IgG4-related diseases (P<0.01), but not in Erdheim-Chester diseases (P>0.05). The expression threshold for recalculating the percentage of cyclin D1 positive cells was 27.5% (AUC=0.981, P<0.01) by ROC curve. However, CCND1 gene had no rearrangement detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization, but with increased copies of gene in some RDD cells. ARMS-PCR analysis also did not detect KRAS, BRAF and NRAS gene mutations in any cases. Conclusions: Cyclin D1 may serve as an additional diagnostic marker for RDDs. Its high expression may be related to activation of MAPK pathway, but the pathogenetic significance of cyclin D1 in RDDs needs further study.

[Clinicopathological features of dedifferentiated liposarcomas with meningothelial-like whorls: report of six cases]

Objective: To investigate the histopathologic, immunohistochemical, molecular genetic characteristics of dedifferentiated liposarcomas with meningothelial-like whorls(DDLMW). Methods: Six cases of DDLMW diagnosed at Jiangsu Province Hospital(the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University) from March 2012 to August 2018 were enrolled. The cases were analyzed by routine HE staining, immunohistochemistry(MDM2, CDK4 and p16) and fluorescent in-situ hybridization(FISH) on MDM2 gene. Related literatures were also reviewed. Results: Three of the 6 patients were male.The patient ages ranged from 40 to 77 years (mean, 58 years). Four tumors occurred in the retroperitoneum and two in the mediastinum. Histologically, the tumors showed, in addition to foci of well-differentied liposarcoma, characteristic, scattered meningothelial-like concentrical whorls. The whorls were composed of tightly, concentrically arranged, spindle to ovoid cells with mild to mederate cytological atypia. Metaplastic bone was present within or in their immediate vicinity in four case. The tumors cell also showed strong and diffuse immunoreactivity to MDM2, CDK4 and p16, but no immunoreactivity to S-100 protein, SMA, SOX10, EMA, CD21, CD23 or CD35. The Ki-67 labeling indexes were low, while FISH showed high levels of MDM2 amplification in all cases. Conclusions: DDLMW is a rare morphologic variant of dedifferentiated liposarcoma. The whorls in DDLMW do not represent perineurial or follicular dendritic differentiation. Recognition and familiarity with its existence, as well as combined application of immunohistochemical staining and MDM FISH, are important to avoid confusion with other lesions.

[Clinicopathological observation of adamantinoma of long bone]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of adamantinoma of long bone. Methods: Seven cases of adamantinoma on long bone were selected at Jiangsu Province People's Hospital from June 2012 to May 2018. Clinicopathologic details, immunohistochemical and molecular analysis were performed,and the relevant literature reviewed. Results: There were 6 males and 1 female patients,age ranging from 21 to 60 years (mean 38 years). Six cases were on the right side and one case was on the left; in five cases the tumors arose from tibia, one from patella and one from humerus. Microscopically,tumour cells were mainly composed of spindle cells arranged in bundles or braids,with irregular epithelial island. Immunohistochemically,the epithelial island expressed high molecular weight cytokeratin but not CK8/18. Both epithelial and spindle components expressed vimentin. One case that was microscopically similar to intraosseous synovial sarcoma did not show SYT gene rearrangement. Clinical follow-up was available for five patients: one patient had axillary metastases seven months after operation, one patient had recurrence 34 months after surgery, 3 patients were uneventful with follow up duration from half a month to 32 months. Conclusion: Adamantinoma occurring in long bones is very rare. The correct diagnosis requires adequate sample selection, careful morphologic observation, immunohistochemistry and molecular genetics.

[Prognostic study of visceral pleural invasion by pulmonary adenocarcinoma with tumor size ≤3 cm]

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between visceral pleural invasion (VPI) and other clinicopathological features in lung adenocarcinoma with tumor size ≤3 cm, and to investigate the impact of VPI on the patients' prognosis. Methods: The clinical and pathological features were retrospectively reviewed in 231 cases of lung adenocarcinoma with the largest diameter of tumor ≤3 cm, following complete resection and systemic lymphadenectomy. VPI was divided into three grades, PL0, PL1 and PL2 according to modified Hammar classification for lung cancer upon elastic fiber staining. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method, and the risk factors for prognosis were explored by Cox proportional hazards model. Patient prognosis was evaluated by progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: In all 231 cases, the number of patients with VPI was 70 (30.3%), of which 61 cases were PL1 and 9 cases were PL2. The remaining 161 cases (69.7%) had no VPI (PL0). The tumor size (P=0.003), histological grade (P<0.01), the presence of solid component (P=0.001) and micropapillary component (P=0.009), N stage (P<0.01) and TNM stage (P<0.01) were significantly correlated with VPI. Patients with VPI had significantly shorter PFS and OS than those without VPI (P<0.01). There were significant differences in PFS and OS between patients with different VPI levels (P<0.01). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that VPI was not an independent prognostic factor, whereas PL2 was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (P=0.007), but not an independent prognostic factor for OS (P=0.052). Conclusions: For patients with lung adenocarcinoma of tumor size ≤3 cm, VPI is related to poor prognosis; However, only PL2 is an independent prognostic factor for PFS. It may be not necessary to separate PL0 and PL1 status in smaller lung adenocarcinomas. Therefore, the definition of VPI may need further modification through large cohort studies.