Cervical high-risk human papillomavirus infection among women residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Prevalence, type-specific distribution, and correlation with cervical cytology.

BACKGROUND: The scarcity of updated data on the prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries hampers the establishment of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination programs. The current study estimated the prevalence of cervical high-risk (HR) HPV infection among women residing in some countries of the GCC and analyzed the correlation between HR-HPV infection types and cytology results. METHODS: In total, 2478 women residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain were enrolled in this study. Cervical specimens were subjected to simultaneous liquid-based cytology and HR-HPV DNA analysis. RESULTS: Of 2478 women, 520 (21%) tested positive for HR-HPV. Other non-HPV genotype 16 (HPV16)/HPV18 HR-HPV was the most frequently detected infection type, accounting for 63.7%. Non-Arab women had a significantly higher HR-HPV positivity rate compared with Arab women (31.6% vs 16.4%; P < .001). The HR-HPV positivity rate was highest among women residing in Qatar (31.3%), followed by women living in Bahrain (20%), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (17.2%), and the United Arab Emirates (14.7%). The overall prevalence of HR-HPV infections declined significantly with advancing age (P < .001). Women with abnormal cytology had a significantly higher HR-HPV positivity rate than those with normal cytology (50.6% vs 14.7%; P < .001). The HR-HPV positivity rate increased as the severity of the cytological lesion increased. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides updated data on HR-HPV prevalence in the GCC countries and delivers an evidence base for supporting the introduction of regional/national vaccination and screening programs in these countries.

DJ-1 and androgen receptor immunohistochemical expression in prostatic carcinoma: a possible role in carcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Androgen plays a fundamental role in the growth and differentiation of prostate. Androgen receptor (AR) expression may represent a potential marker of prognosis in prostate cancer. However, there have been variable results regarding its ability to predict clinical progression. Despite the oncogenic properties of DJ-1, its significance in prostate cancer development and progression is not well understood. This research shed some light on the possible role of immunohistochemical expression of DJ-1 in clinically localized prostatic carcinoma in relation to the established role of AR and other clinicopathologic parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of AR and DJ-1 was evaluated in 129 samples including benign hyperplasia (n = 60) and prostatic carcinoma (n = 69). RESULTS: The mean value of AR immunostaining was significantly higher in prostatic carcinomas than in benign hyperplasia (P = 0.001). A significant inverse correlation was found between AR immunostaining and the grade of prostatic carcinomas. A significantly higher median DJ-1 score was found in prostatic carcinoma than in benign hyperplasia (P = 0.0001). There was a significant direct correlation between AR and DJ-1 score (P = 0.0001). AR is more sensitive in predicting prostatic carcinoma than DJ-1 but DJ-1 is more specific than AR. CONCLUSION: AR nuclear expression was consistently present in benign and adenocarcinoma epithelium. But, there may be limited clinical use for AR expression in localized carcinoma due to its constant heterogeneity. DJ-1 with its oncogenic properties, specificity for prostatic carcinoma and homogenous expression gives an ideal complementary role to AR in the detection and treatment of prostatic carcinomas.

Insights into the prognostic value of DJ-1 and MIB-1 in astrocytic tumors.

BACKGROUND: The histological grade is the gold standard for the evaluation of prognosis of astrocytic tumors. Nevertheless, morphologic criteria are not always accurate prognostic indicators. AIM: The research investigates the expression of MIB-1 and DJ-1 in different grades of astrocytomas and evaluates the possible prognostic role of DJ-1 in these tumors in relation to other prognostic parameters including the MIB-1 labeling index. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical expression of MIB-1 and DJ-1 was evaluated in 111 samples of astrocytic tumors comprising 28 diffuse astrocytomas, 38 anaplastic astrocytomas and 45 glioblastomas. The univariate survival analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier method and the multivariate survival analysis was done using Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between each of DJ-1 and MIB-1 and the histological grade of astrocytomas. The univariate analysis showed that high grade, high DJ-1 score and MIB-1 labeling index ≥ 10.1 were associated with poor survival. Multivariate analysis for all the studied astrocytomas proved the independent prognostic significance of the histological grade and DJ-1 score. Meanwhile, the multivariate analysis for each grade emphasized that DJ-1 was the only independent prognostic indicator in high-grade astrocytomas. CONCLUSION: This study emphasized the effectiveness of high DJ-1 expression in predicting poor survival of astrocytoma patients, when compared to MIB-1. DJ-1 could be particularly important in cases with discrepancies between the morphologic criteria and clinical parameters. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1070116023943146.

Potential diagnostic utility of CD56 and claudin-1 in papillary thyroid carcinoma and solitary follicular thyroid nodules.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The pathological diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is usually easily achieved. However distinguishing the follicular variant of papillary carcinoma (FVPC) from other follicular thyroid lesions is an area of controversy. In this study we investigated the role of CD56 and claudin-1 in discriminating the FVPCs from other solitary follicular patterned nodules. We also evaluated the application of these two markers in reclassifying the controversial cases of the well differentiated tumors of unknown malignant potential (WDTs-UMP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of CD56 and claudin-1 was evaluated in 86 samples of thyroid lesions together with 10 samples of normal thyroid tissue. Thyroid lesions included: 29 PTCs [classic papillary carcinoma (n = 13) and FVPC (n = 16)], 47 solitary follicular patterned nodules [follicular adenomas (n = 12), hyperplastic nodules (n = 32) and follicular tumor of unknown malignant potential (n = 3)] and 10 WDTs-UMP. RESULTS: The statistical analysis showed significantly different expressions of each of CD56 and claudin-1 in the FVPCs versus other solitary follicular patterned nodules. Claudin-1 sensitivity (100%) was higher than CD56 sensitivity (81.3%). However claudin-1 specificity (80.9%) was < CD56 specificity (89.4%). The combined use of CD56 and claudin-1(claudin-1 + /CD56-) showed specificity (100%), positive predictive value (100%) and sensitivity (81.3%) in the differentiation between the FVPCs and other follicular nodules. In the light of this statistical outcome, 5/10 cases of WDTs-UMP expressing the (claudin-1 + /CD56-) panel could be rediagnosed as PTC. CONCLUSION: Combined utility of CD56 and claudin-1 is helpful in diagnosing the FVPC and its differentiation from other follicular patterned nodules. Application of these two markers may greatly aid in the reevaluation of the WDTs-UMP and interpretation of their expected behavior.