RESUMO
A spectrum of Cellular homolog of the v-myc oncogene (cMYC) alterations such as translocation, overexpression, mutation, and amplification plays an important role in lymphomagenesis, particularly in high-grade lymphomas, and are associated with prognostic significance. Accurate identification of cMYC gene alteration is important for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications. With the application of different FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) probes that helped overcome the analytical diagnostic challenges as a result of variant patterns, we report rare, concomitant, and independent gene alterations in cMYC and Immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene (IGH) with detailed characterization of its variant rearrangement. Short-term follow-up post R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) therapy seemed to be favorable. Accumulation of many more literature studies on such cases with their therapeutic implications would lead to the categorization of these cases as a separate subclass in large B-cell lymphomas followed by molecular targeted therapy.
RESUMO
Background and Objectives: Multifocal/multicentric (MF/MC) breast carcinomas are not uncommon and its prognostic significance debated. We attempted to analyze the association of focality and prognostic factors in operated pT1 and pT2 breast carcinomas of no special type (NST). Materials and Methods: Retrospectively identified pathologically proven 124 unifocal (UF) and 49 MF/MC pT1 and pT2 breast carcinomas of NST over the past three years were compared in terms of clinical and pathological factors. Results: The patients with MF/MC NST tumors were more likely to undergo radical surgery (P = 0.028). The tumors showed higher incidence of lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.024), perineural invasion (P = 0.046), ductal carcinoma in situ component (P < 0.001), higher number of positive axillary lymph nodes (P < 0.001), and higher anatomical staging (P = 0.048) when compared to the UF counterparts. Morphological intertumoral heterogeneity was noted in MF/MC tumors in 16 of 49 cases (32.65%). Conclusion: Most published studies on MF breast cancers have included all histological types and varying definitions. We included only pathologically defined stages and a single histological type to ensure “purity” of the groups. Higher anatomic staging and morphological interlesional heterogeneity suggest that early MF/MC tumors represent multiple primaries with a different biology. Careful consideration of features of each focus needs to be considered when deciding appropriate adjuvant therapy and for accurately prognosticating these patients. Immunohistochemical and morphological (grade) heterogeneity between the different foci may pose problems with “prognostic stage grouping” these tumors according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system (8th edition).