Cardiac atrial pathology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

INTRODUCTION/AIMS

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by fibrofatty replacement of muscle. This has been documented in the ventricular myocardium of DMD patients, but there is limited description of atrial involvement. The purpose of this study is to examine the arrhythmia and ectopy burden in patients with DMD and non-DMD dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to characterize the cardiac histopathologic changes in DMD patients across the disease spectrum.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of age-matched patients with DMD and non-DMD DCM who received a Holter monitor and cardiac imaging within 100 days of each other between 2010 and 2020. Twenty-four-hour Holter monitors were classified based on the most recent left ventricular ejection fraction at the time of monitoring. Cardiac histopathologic specimens from whole-heart examinations at the time of autopsy from three DMD patients and one DCM patient were reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 367 patients with 1299 Holter monitor recordings were included over the study period, with 94% representing DMD patients and 6% non-DMD DCM. Patients with DMD had more atrial ectopy across the cardiac function spectrum (p < 0.05). There was no difference in ventricular ectopy. Four DMD patients developed symptomatic atrial arrhythmias. Autopsy specimens from DMD patients demonstrated fibrofatty infiltration of both atrial and ventricular myocardium.

DISCUSSION

The atrial myocardium in patients with DMD is unique. Autopsy specimens reveal fibofatty replacement of the atrial myocardium, which may be a nidus for both ectopy and arrhythmias in DMD patients.

Delayed Hemorrhagic Gastritis Caused by Immunotherapy in a Patient with Metastatic Melanoma

Pembrolizumab is a monoclonal antibody which targets the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor of lymphocytes. It is commonly used to treat many types of malignancies. Immunotherapy-related adverse events are relatively common and include pneumonitis, colitis and hepatitis. A rare side effect of immunotherapy is gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding secondary to hemorrhagic gastritis. Side effects from immunotherapy most commonly occur eight to twelve weeks after initiation of therapy but can vary from days after the first dose to even months later. We present a rare case of a patient with metastatic melanoma who had confirmed immune-mediated hemorrhagic gastritis which occurred after 23 cycles of Pembrolizumab. Biopsies for Heliobacter Pylori (H. pylori) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) were negative. The patient's immunotherapy was discontinued, and he was started on high dose steroids. The symptoms (nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain) improved dramatically with a long steroid taper. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) performed three months after hospital discharge showed improvement in gastric mucosa, but biopsies continued to show evidence of acute and chronic gastritis. As cancer patients continue to live longer with immunotherapy, it is important for all providers to be aware of the less common side effects of newer agents such as pembrolizumab.

Primary monophasic breast synovial sarcoma in a female patient

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a rare soft tissue sarcoma usually arising in the deep soft tissues of the limbs, trunk, and head and neck region. Due to its rarity, diagnosis can be difficult to establish, especially when it involves an uncommon location like the breast. In this case report, we describe a young woman who was found to have primary SS of the breast. Initial immunohistochemistry staining was focally positive for cytokeratin and S100 and she was misdiagnosed with atypical spindle cell carcinoma. Due to the unusual presentation, further testing was performed which showed TLE1 and epithelial membrane antigen positivity, establishing the diagnosis of SS of the breast. A FISH was later sent out and was positive for SS18-SSX fusion transcript. This case highlights the importance of considering rare histopathology in breast lesions and using additional staining and cytogenetics to confirm diagnosis.

Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma With Heterotopic Ossification: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

Heterotopic bone formation is a rare phenomenon when associated with gastrointestinal neoplasms. Here we present a rare case of heterotopic ossification associated with goblet cell adenocarcinoma of the appendix, and a literature review of such cases associated with neoplasms within and out of the gastrointestinal tracts. We reviewed the clinical data and when available, immunohistochemical markers of osteoblastic differentiation. Our review shows similar findings to prior reports of apparent high association of heterotopic bone formation with neoplasms with mucinous features. Two, previously proposed main hypotheses of the mechanisms are reviewed. The unique feature about this case is that goblet cell adenocarcinoma was not reported previously in the setting of bone formation.

Abstract P3-07-06: ER+ patients with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 have a low likelihood of breast cancer recurrence and a high likelihood of an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26

INTRODUCTION: The recent TAILORx results suggest that adjuvant endocrine therapy and chemoendocrine therapy had similar efficacy in women with hormone-positive, HER2-negative, node-negative invasive breast carcinomas with an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26. Oncotype Dx® is an expensive test (current list price of $4,620.00). Although the Oncotype Dx® test has gained widespread acceptance, cost may be an impediment to its adoption in certain areas of the world, and it may not be the most cost-effective or cost-efficient option in certain subsets of breast cancer patients. Based on a modification of the new Magee equations, we published an algorithmic approach in 283 ER+ cases using an average modified Magee equation (Turner BM, et al. Mod Pathol. 2015;28(7):921-31), and subsequently published a validation of this algorithmic approach in an additional 620 ER+ cases (Cancer Med. 2019 Jun 14. doi: 10.1002/cam4.2323. [Epub ahead of print]), supporting only reflex Oncotype Dx® testing for certain subsets of breast cancer patients. We now have recurrence data and at least five years of outcome data on 310 cases.

METHODS: A total of 310 cases with ER+ invasive breast cancer, all with Oncotype Dx® recurrence scores, were included in this study from the University of Rochester and the University of Louisville. The outcome analysis included all patients who had at least five years of follow-up data, and all patients who had a breast cancer recurrence. In order to calculate the average modified Magee score, information on the Nottingham score, ER, PR, Ki-67, HER-2, and tumor size was extracted from the pathology report.

RESULTS: 255/310 cases had an Oncotype Dx® &lt; 26, and 4% (10/255) of these cases were associated with a breast cancer recurrence. 187/310 cases had an average modified Magee score ≤ 18, and 184 of these 187 cases (98%) had an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26. Only 2% (n = 4) of these 184 cases were associated with a breast cancer recurrence. On average, the Nottingham score and Ki-67 were lower for cases with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 compared to cases with an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26 (Table 1). On average, the modified ER and PR H-scores were higher for cases with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 compared to cases with an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26 (Table 1).

CONCLUSION: If the average modified Magee score is ≤ 18, the patient has a low likelihood of recurrence, and the Oncotype Dx® recurrence score will likely be &lt; 26. Given the recent TAILORx findings, we suggest that patients with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 not be sent out for Oncotype Dx® testing if an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26 is the basis on which the clinician will use to decide whether or not to give chemotherapy. The information needed to use the average modified Magee equation is already generated by many pathology laboratories during the initial assessment of breast cancer, and the Magee equations are free of charge (https://path.upmc.edu/onlineTools/mageeequations.html). Based on the Genomic Health 2017 Annual Report, our data suggests that not sending out cases with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 would have resulted in a potential cost savings to the health-care system in 2018 of almost 300 million dollars.

Table 1: Average Nottingham score, modified ER H-score, modified PR H-score, and Ki-67, with number and percent recurrence for cases with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 and cases with an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26AVERAGERecurrence Sore typeNNS**ER***PR***Ki-67Recurrence N (%)Average modified Magee score ≤ 18*1875.2262.3235.410.34 (2)Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 262555.5253.2192.613.610 (4)*98% (184/187) of patients with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 had an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26**Nottingham score***modified H-score (Turner BM, et al. Mod Pathol. 2015;28(7):921-31)

Citation Format: Hasan Khatib, Mary Ann G Sanders, Andrea Breaux, Armen Soukiazian, Nyrie Soukiazian, David Hicks, Bradley M Turner. ER+ patients with an average modified Magee score ≤ 18 have a low likelihood of breast cancer recurrence and a high likelihood of an Oncotype Dx® recurrence score &lt; 26 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-06.

Impact of 21-Gene Expression Assay on Staging Estrogen Receptor-Positive HER2-Negative Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) breast cancer staging system requires histologic grade (GR), estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and stage (assessed by the tumor, node, metastasis classification system). For T1-2 N0, ER⁺/HER2- tumors, if the 21-gene expression assay is ordered and Oncotype DX (ODX) recurrence score (RS) is 0 to 10, the stage is IA. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the ODXRS on staging ER⁺/HER2- tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective review of ER⁺/HER2- invasive breast cancer (BC) with ODXRS results from 2 institutions (n = 816) between 2006 and 2018. Stage based on the AJCC 7th and 8th editions, and stage using the 8th edition with and without ODXRS were compared. Significant associations among pathologic parameters and ODX risk groups were determined. Clinical histories were reviewed.

RESULTS

Nearly half of the patients (43%) had a change in BC stage using the new staging system. Only 4 patients changed stage as a direct result of ODXRS. Influence of ODXRS on staging is limited to T2N0 tumors that are either GR 3 and strongly ER⁺ and PR⁺ or GR 1-2 and ER⁺/PR-. Sixty-one percent of cases of recurrence (11/18) were downstaged using the new staging system.

CONCLUSION

ODXRS has little influence on staging, thus supporting the view of the AJCC 8th edition expert panel that ODX is not required for staging. Downstaging of more than half of cases of recurrence suggests that continued refinement of the staging system, as proposed by the expert panel, could be beneficial in this subgroup of patients.

Disseminated Nocardiosis with retinal abscess in a patient treated for bullous pemphigoid

Purpose

To report a case of disseminated Nocardiosis with retinal and intracranial lesions.

Observations

A 49-year-old woman immunosuppressed because of treatment given for bullous pemphigoid presented with altered mental status and multiple intracranial lesions on imaging. The patient was found to have multiple retinal lesions in both eyes, including a subretinal abscess in the right eye. The patient underwent brain biopsy, confirming Nocardia farcinica histopathologically and in culture.

Conclusions and Importance

Ocular Nocardiosis is a rare disease with varying prognosis that requires prompt diagnosis to ensure appropriate medical therapy.

Validity of Performance Criteria and a Tentative Model for Regulatory Use in Compensatory Wetland Mitigation Permitting

/ Wetland policy in the United States is guided by the goal of no net loss of wetland habitat and is enforced primarily through the permitting requirements instituted under the Clean Water Act, which regulates the waters of the United States. Under these regulations, a permit applicant may be required to provide compensatory mitigation or restoration when wetland loss cannot be avoided or minimized. The practice has been to measure gains and losses primarily in terms of functions and values, the assessment of whichhas been rendered difficult because the agencies operate under limitations of time and experience, and because there are large areas of uncertainty in wetland science itself.The purpose of this paper is to develop the principles for a manageable and practical set of performance criteria that will reasonably assure no net loss in a situation in which it cannot be absolutely assured. To this end, the performance criteria proposed for 116 compensatory wetland projects on file with the Army Corps of Engineers in San Francisco, between 1988 and 1995, were examined. The trends discerned in the project proposals were analyzed and evaluated in light of the current state of wetland science. Specific suggestions for the development of uniform criteria in each of four major wetland types-riparian, perennial tidal, perennial nontidal, and seasonal-are discussed, and a system of regulation tying qualitative assessment with quantitative requirements is outlined as a reasonable solution to the enforcement of the no-net-loss policy.KEY WORDS: Wetlands; Compensatory mitigation projects; 404 permits; Clean Water Act; Performance criteria, San Francisco, Californiahttp://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00267/bibs/24n3p327.html