Gastric Histopathologic Findings Are Similar in Portal Hypertension Patients With and Without Endoscopic Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy.

OBJECTIVES: Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) is a diagnosis made based on endoscopic findings in the appropriate clinical setting. Biopsy may be taken during endoscopy for correlation, but the pathologist may encounter a myriad of nonspecific histologic findings. We undertook this study to evaluate contexts where a histologic diagnosis of PHG might be rendered on biopsy. METHODS: Two cohorts were established: stomach biopsy specimens from patients with cirrhosis or undergoing varices screening (n = 188) and stomach biopsy specimens with findings interpreted as PHG in the pathology report (n = 29). RESULTS: In the first cohort, cases with endoscopic varices more frequently displayed foveolar hyperplasia and acute inflammation, with no other histologic differences between cases with and without endoscopic PHG, clinical varices, and clinical cirrhosis. Cases from the second cohort showed no histologic differences when stratified for endoscopic PHG, endoscopic varices, and clinical cirrhosis. Our second cohort displayed the majority of charted histologic findings more frequently than the first. Our results indicate that neither an endoscopic appearance of PHG nor particular clinical diagnoses associated with PHG translate into specific histologic findings. CONCLUSIONS: Although the histologic findings charted displayed increased frequency in pathology reports with an interpretation of PHG, histology should not be used reliably in the diagnosis of PHG.

Neoadjuvant Yttrium-90 Transarterial Radioembolization with Resin Microspheres Prescribed Using the Medical Internal Radiation Dose Model for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate outcomes of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) undergoing neoadjuvant yttrium-90 (90Y) transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with resin microspheres prescribed using the Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective institutional review board-approved study included 37 patients with iCCA treated with 90Y-TARE from October 2015 to September 2020. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) from 90Y-TARE. The secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors 1.1 imaging response, and downstaging to resection. Patients with tumor proximity to the middle hepatic vein (<1 cm) and/or insufficient future liver remnant were treated with neoadjuvant intent (n = 21). Patients were censored at the time of surgery or at the last follow-up for the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: For 31 patients (69 years; interquartile range, 64-74 years; 20 men [65%]) included in the study, the first-line therapy was 90Y-TARE for 23 (74%) patients. Imaging assessment at 6 months showed a disease control rate of 86%. The median PFS was 5.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 3-not reached). The PFS was higher after first-line 90Y-TARE (7.4 months [95% CI, 5.3-not reached]) than that after subsequent 90Y-TARE (2.7 months [95% CI, 2-not reached]) (P = .007). The median OS was 22 months (95% CI, 7.3-not reached). The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 60% (95% CI, 41%-86%) and 40% (95% CI, 19.5%-81%). In patients treated with neoadjuvant intent, 11 of 21 patients (52%) underwent resections. The resection margins were R0 and R1 in 8 (73%) and 3 (27%) of 11 patients, respectively. On histological review in 10 patients, necrosis of ≥90% tumor was achieved in 7 of 10 patients (70%). CONCLUSIONS: First-line 90Y-TARE prescribed using the MIRD model as neoadjuvant therapy for iCCA results in good survival outcome and R0 resection for unresectable patients.

Congenital Epidermoid Cyst of the Liver: A Rare Entity Characterized by Antenatal Onset, Slow Postnatal Growth, and Consistent Histologic and Immunohistologic Features.

BACKGROUND: There are only 15 reported hepatic epidermoid cysts; they include patients presenting congenitally through adulthood, with varied speculations about pathogenesis. Aside from recently reported pancytokeratin staining, no other descriptions have included immunohistochemistry. Splenic epidermoid cysts were recently characterized as positive for HBME-1, p63, CEA, CK7 (luminal), and CK19. We interrogate 2 hepatic epidermoid cysts with a broad panel of immunohistochemistry, with the aim of elucidating histogenesis. METHODS: Archives were searched for "liver," "hepatic," and "cyst." Hepatic cysts lined by squamous epithelium were included. Clinical records, macroscopic findings, and hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemically stained slides were reviewed. RESULTS: We identified 2 patients with epidermoid cysts of the liver, first detected on antenatal ultrasound. Both were females and asymptomatic; neither had other congenital abnormalities. Cysts enlarged slowly after birth. Resection was at ages 2 and 6 months, done to avoid potentially more difficult surgery in the future. Cysts were unilocular (4.8 cm) and multilocular (7.0 cm). Both were lined by stratified nonkeratinizing squamous to focally transitional-like epithelium and surrounded by paucicellular fibrous stroma. In the multilocular cyst, hepatocytes and fibrous stroma populated septa. Epithelium was positive for HBME-1, p63, CK19, CEA, Cam5.2, and CK7, negative for EMA, D2-40, WT-1, calretinin, and Ca19-9. Cytogenetic analysis of one showed a normal female karyotype. During the study period, 22 other pediatric liver cysts were diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Hepatic epidermoid cyst is a distinct entity, rare but nevertheless constituting 8% of pediatric hepatic cysts at our institution. It is characterized by intrauterine onset and growth roughly commensurate with that of the fetus/infant; it is apparently unsyndromic. It may be unilocular or multilocular. It stains for an array of epithelial markers as well as HBME-1. Strong immunohistochemical overlap with splenic epidermoid cyst points to a shared pathogenesis and detracts from hypotheses that hepatic epidermoid cysts derive from hepatic elements.