Clinical Utility of Stepwise Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Analysis in Diagnosing and Managing Lung Infiltrates in Leukemia/Lymphoma Patients With Febrile Neutropenia

PURPOSE

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious complication in hematologic malignancies, and lung infiltrates (LIs) remain a significant concern. An accurate microbiological diagnosis is crucial but difficult to establish. To address this, we analyzed the utility of a standardized method for performing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) along with a two-step strategy for the analysis of BAL fluid.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary cancer center from November 2018 to June 2020. Patients age 15 years and older with confirmed leukemia or lymphomas undergoing chemotherapy, with presence of FN, and LIs observed on imaging were enrolled.

RESULTS

Among the 122 enrolled patients, successful BAL was performed in 83.6% of cases. The study used a two-step analysis of BAL fluid, resulting in a diagnostic yield of 74.5%. Furthermore, antimicrobial therapy was modified in 63.9% of patients on the basis of BAL reports, and this population demonstrated a higher response rate (63% v 45%; P = .063).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that a two-step BAL fluid analysis is safe and clinically beneficial to establish an accurate microbiological diagnosis. Given the crucial impact of diagnostic delays on mortality in hematologic malignancy patients with FN, early BAL studies should be performed to enable prompt and specific diagnosis, allowing for appropriate treatment modifications.

Cytohistological study of urinary bladder neoplasms

Eighty patients presenting with painless hematuria and 24 patients of transitional cell carcinoma bladder coming for follow up were included in this study to assess the role of exfoliative (voided urine) and lavage (saline lavage) cytology in initial diagnosis and follow up of the patient with carcinoma bladder. Freshly voided urine samples and saline lavage bladder washing samples were collected. A thorough cystoscopic examination was done and biopsy was taken from any apparent growth. Cytological smears were stained with hematoxylene and eosin and PAP's stain, histology sections were stained with hematoxylene and eosin. A statistically significant correlation (p < 0.001) was observed between the increasing grade of malignancy and cytopositivity. A good association was observed between histology and two methods of cytology (p < 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity and overall diagnostic accuracy of lavage cytology was more as compared to exfoliative cytology (71.05%, 56.0%, 78.85% Vs 47.37%, 41.18% and 61.54%). Cystopositivity was more with single large sessile tumour as compared to multiple small pedunculated tumours. Cytohistological discrepancy was observed in patients of transitional cell carcinoma with recurrence. It is concluded that cytology may act as a good adjuvant to histology in picking up early flat lesions and/or follow up of patients with transitional cell carcinoma.

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in atypical adenomatous hyperplasias, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasias and prostatic neoplasms

Sections from 104 cases of benign, preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the prostate were studied for argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs). The mean NOR counts in normal controls (2.87) and benign prostatic hyperplasia with or without chronic prostatitis (4.90 and 3.84 NORs/nucleus, respectively) were found to be significantly less (p < 0.001) than that in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and adenocarcinoma of the prostate (5.65 and 5.78 NORs/nucleus, respectively). The mean AgNOR count of a section with atypical adenomatous hyperplasia was significantly lower than that in PIN. No statistically significant difference was observed between AgNOR counts of high-grade PIN and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma (WDAC; 5.67 vs. 5.78 NORs/nucleus, respectively), however the difference between low-grade PIN and WDAC was statistically significant (5.46 vs. 5.78 NORs/nucleus, p < 0.005). The increase in NOR counts occurred concomitantly with the decrease in the degree of differentiation of adenocarcinoma. Thus, NOR was found to be a good adjuvant to the existing diagnostic parameters to pick up more cases at the stage of PIN when prognosis is better.

Pancreatic endometriosis presenting as a hypovascular renal mass

We report a case of pancreatic endometriosis that presented as a renal mass. The patient had a history of recurrent left loin pain and pathological examination revealed pancreatic endometriosis, with huge cyst formation around the kidney. The clinicopathological features and the possible pathogenesis are discussed.