The pattern of myometrial invasion as a predictor of lymph node metastasis or extrauterine disease in low-grade endometrial carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of lymph node (LN) metastases or extrauterine disease (ED) in low-grade (FIGO grade 1 or 2) endometrioid carcinoma (LGEC) in a multi-institutional setting. For LGEC with and without LN metastasis or ED, each of the 9 participating institutions evaluated patients' age, tumor size, myometrial invasion (MI), FIGO grade, % solid component, the presence or absence of papillary architecture, microcystic, elongated, and fragmented glands (MELF), single-cell/cell-cluster invasion (SCI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), lower uterine segment (LUS) and cervical stromal (CX) involvement, and numbers of pelvic and para-aortic LNs sampled. A total of 304 cases were reviewed: LN(+) or ED(+), 96; LN(-)/ED(-), 208. Patients' ages ranged from 23 to 91 years (median 61 y). Table 1 summarizes the histopathologic variables that were noted for the LN(+) or ED(+) group: tumor size ≥2 cm, 93/96 (97%); MI>50%, 54/96 (56%); MELF, 67/96 (70%); SCI, 33/96 (34%); LVI, 79/96 (82%); >20% solid, 65/96 (68%); papillary architecture present, 68/96 (72%); LUS involved, 64/96 (67%); and CX involved, 41/96 (43%). For the LN(-)/ED(-) group, the results were as follows: tumor size ≥2 cm, 152/208 (73%); MI>50%, 56/208 (27%); MELF, 79/208 (38%); SCI, 19/208 (9%); LVI, 56/208 (27%); >20% solid, 160/208 (77%); papillary architecture present, 122/208 (59%); LUS involved, 77/208 (37%); CX involved, 24/208 (12%). There was no evidence of a difference in the number of pelvic or para-aortic LNs sampled between groups (P=0.9 and 0.1, respectively). After multivariate analysis, the depth of MI, CX involvement, LVI, and SCI emerged as significant predictors of advanced-stage disease. Although univariate analysis pointed to LUS involvement, MELF pattern of invasion, and papillary architecture as possible predictors of advanced-stage disease, these were not shown to be significant by multivariate analysis. This study validates MI, CX involvement, and LVI as significant predictors of LN(+) or ED(+). The association of SCI pattern with advanced-stage LGEC is a novel finding.

[Detection of micrometastases of colorectal carcinoma in lymph nodes]. / Detección de micrometástasis de carcinoma de colon en ganglios linfáticos.

Dissemination of lymph nodes is a known prognostic factor in colorectal carcinoma. Micrometastases in lymph nodes can be missed when studied by routine techniques. We analyzed 162 lymph nodes from 30 patients with colonic carcinoma and using routine techniques, they were classified as follows: two Dukes A; nineteen Dukes B; and nine Dukes C. A patient with benign colon disease served as negative control. Lymph nodes were all sectioned in halves, with one of the halves stored in liquid nitrogen for molecular biology examination by carcinoembryonic antigen expression. The other formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded halves were saved for both pathologic and immunohistochemical examination. For Dukes A and Dukes B tumors, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) had a 50% higher sensitivity in the detection of micrometastases. The expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was detected in all Dukes C cases, which were considered as positive controls. These results showed that RT-PCR has a higher sensitivity in the detection of micrometastases than routine techniques, including immunohistochemistry.

Deteccion de micrometastasis de carcinoma de colon en glanglios linfaticos / Detection of micrometastases of colorectal carcinoma in lymph nodes

En el carcinoma colorrectal Ia diseminación a los ganglios linfáticos es un factor pronóstico reco nocido. La presencia de ganglios linfáticos con micrometástasis en muchos casos no puede ser detectada por técnicas rutinarias. Se estudiaron prospectivamente 162 ganglios linfáticos de 30 pacientes con carcinoma de colon, los cuales según los resultados de Ias técnicas rutinarias fueron clasificados como Dukes A (2), Dukes B (19) y Dukes C (9). Un paciente con enfermedad colónica benigna se uso como control negativo. Todos los ganglios se seccionaron en mitades, una de Ias cuales se almacenó en nitrógeno líquido para su ulterior estudio por técnicas de biología molecular, mediante Ia expresión dei antígeno carcinoembrionario (CEA). La otra mitad fue fijada en formaldehído e incluída en parafina para su estudio anatomopatológico e inmunohistoquímico. Dei total de los casos se detectó un aumento dei 50% de Ia sensibilidad en Ia detección de micrometástasis mediante Ia reacción en cadena de Ia polimerasa con transcriptasa reversa (RT PCR) para los Dukes A B y se detectó Ia expresión de dicho antígeno en el total de ]os casos Dukes C. Estos resultados evidencian una mayor sensibilidad en Ia detección de micrometástasis utilizando RT PCR en comparación con Ias técnicas rutinarias, incluyendo Ia inmunohistoquímica.

Detección de micrometástasis de carcinoma de colon en ganglios linfáticos. / [Detection of micrometastases of colorectal carcinoma in lymph nodes]

Dissemination of lymph nodes is a known prognostic factor in colorectal carcinoma. Micrometastases in lymph nodes can be missed when studied by routine techniques. We analyzed 162 lymph nodes from 30 patients with colonic carcinoma and using routine techniques, they were classified as follows: two Dukes A; nineteen Dukes B; and nine Dukes C. A patient with benign colon disease served as negative control. Lymph nodes were all sectioned in halves, with one of the halves stored in liquid nitrogen for molecular biology examination by carcinoembryonic antigen expression. The other formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded halves were saved for both pathologic and immunohistochemical examination. For Dukes A and Dukes B tumors, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) had a 50

higher sensitivity in the detection of micrometastases. The expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was detected in all Dukes C cases, which were considered as positive controls. These results showed that RT-PCR has a higher sensitivity in the detection of micrometastases than routine techniques, including immunohistochemistry.

Deteccion de micrometastasis de carcinoma de colon en glanglios linfaticos / Detection of micrometastases of colorectal carcinoma in lymph nodes

En el carcinoma colorrectal Ia diseminación a los ganglios linfáticos es un factor pronóstico reco nocido. La presencia de ganglios linfáticos con micrometástasis en muchos casos no puede ser detectada por técnicas rutinarias. Se estudiaron prospectivamente 162 ganglios linfáticos de 30 pacientes con carcinoma de colon, los cuales según los resultados de Ias técnicas rutinarias fueron clasificados como Dukes A (2), Dukes B (19) y Dukes C (9). Un paciente con enfermedad colónica benigna se uso como control negativo. Todos los ganglios se seccionaron en mitades, una de Ias cuales se almacenó en nitrógeno líquido para su ulterior estudio por técnicas de biología molecular, mediante Ia expresión dei antígeno carcinoembrionario (CEA). La otra mitad fue fijada en formaldehído e incluída en parafina para su estudio anatomopatológico e inmunohistoquímico. Dei total de los casos se detectó un aumento dei 50% de Ia sensibilidad en Ia detección de micrometástasis mediante Ia reacción en cadena de Ia polimerasa con transcriptasa reversa (RT PCR) para los Dukes A B y se detectó Ia expresión de dicho antígeno en el total de ]os casos Dukes C. Estos resultados evidencian una mayor sensibilidad en Ia detección de micrometástasis utilizando RT PCR en comparación con Ias técnicas rutinarias, incluyendo Ia inmunohistoquímica.(AU)

Lymphoid and myeloid neoplasms involving cerebrospinal fluid: comparison of morphologic examination and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry.

We studied 53 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by cytologic examination and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. The samples were taken from 43 patients; 25 had a previous diagnosis of malignant lymphoma/leukemia and the remaining 18 a variety of other diseases involving the central nervous system (CNS). Lymphoma/leukemia was detected in 21 samples: 12 by morphologic examination and immunophenotyping and nine by immunophenotyping alone. There were two cases with a suspicious morphologic examination and negative immunophenotyping in which the final diagnosis were cryptococcal and viral meningitis. In the group of 18 patients, one was diagnosed as a primary malignant lymphoma of the CNS and was positive with cytology and immunophenotyping. The other 17 were negative with both methods and follow-up showed no evidence of lymphoma/leukemia. This study shows that morphologic examination combined with flow cytometry enhances the detection rate by 75% over morphologic examination alone in CSF samples.