How (Cautious) Social Media Use May Improve Education and Pipeline Efforts of a Growing Postpandemic Forensic Pathologist Workforce Shortage.

ABSTRACT: Many subspecialties of pathology have initiated novel methods and strategies to connect with medical students and residents, stimulate interest, and offer mentorship. Emerging concern about the future of forensic pathology has been highlighted in contemporary literature as recruitment of new fellows has stagnated and workforce shortage concerns have blossomed. Amidst these challenges, the potential role of social networking platforms like social media (SoMe) in enhancing autopsy pathology/forensics education has garnered attention, yet literature focusing specifically on its application in autopsy and forensic pathology remains limited. This review aims to provide a comprehensive narrative overview of the current literature on the established uses of SoMe in forensic pathology. It seeks to build upon existing recommendations, introducing a contemporary compilation of online resources designed to facilitate virtual engagement among pathologists, learners, patients, and families. The review supports the idea that strategic, ethical, and conscientious use of SoMe has a place in addressing the growing workforce shortages and closing educational gaps in forensic pathology by enhancing exposure to the field and dispelling antiquated stereotypes.

Breast Conservation Therapy for Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Breast in an Elderly Woman: A Case Report.

This case report details a rare instance of primary squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) of the breast in an octogenarian, emphasizing the unique diagnostic and treatment challenges posed by this malignancy in an elderly patient and adding to the scientific literature on PSCC managed with breast conservation therapy (BCT). An 80-year-old woman with medical comorbidities presented with a focal asymmetry in the right breast's retroareolar plane, detected during routine screening mammography. Diagnostic evaluations raised high suspicion for malignancy, confirmed as PSCC by ultrasound-guided biopsy. Histopathological analysis showed atypical keratinizing squamous epithelial nests and cysts. The patient underwent lumpectomy and re-excision of close surgical margins with a sentinel lymph node biopsy, which showed well-differentiated invasive squamous cell carcinoma with no residual carcinoma or nodal involvement. She was treated with adjuvant hypofractionated radiation therapy, experiencing minimal side effects. This case highlights the importance of considering individualized, nuanced approaches to adjuvant therapies in the treatment of PSCC in older patients. It demonstrates that BCT, coupled with carefully selected adjuvant therapy, can be a successful treatment strategy for PSCC in the elderly, contributing valuable insights into the management of this rare condition.

Pleural Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma: An Ultrarare Cause for Recurrent Pleural Effusion Managed With Trametinib and Pazopanib.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an extremely rare sarcoma of vascular origin. Primary pleural involvement is extremely under-reported and tends to have a more aggressive course. We report a case of pleural EHE in a Caucasian female in her 50s with a two-month history of dyspnea and chest pain. Investigations, including video-assisted thoracoscopy, revealed extensive pleural scarring and inflammation. Management with trametinib and pazopanib led to a stable disease course, reduction in the frequency of pleural effusion recurrence, and improvement in cancer-related pain.

The impact of Pathology Outreach Program (POP) on United States and Canadian high school students.

Given recent trends in National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) data, there exists a looming deficit of practicing pathologists. As such, the Pathology Outreach Program (POP) was established in 2018 in the United States, and in 2022 in Canada, to educate high school students about pathology and laboratory medicine to help curb this projected shortage. We present survey data gathered from several educational sessions hosted at high schools in the United States (U.S.) and Canada over a 5-year period comparing participants' perceptions and awareness of pathology both before and after each session. Using this data, we wish to highlight the positive impact of POP on increasing students' awareness and appreciation for careers in pathology or laboratory medicine. This data will also highlight the additional work that must be done to further boost public knowledge of laboratory medicine's contributions to patient care. We hope this project will lay the foundation for further improvements to laboratory visibility and inspire additional outreach efforts to mitigate a future workforce shortage.

Radiation Therapy in the Management of Extensive Giant Condyloma Acuminata With Rectal Involvement: A Case Report.

Giant condyloma acuminata (GCA) is a rare, locally aggressive manifestation of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, typically affecting the anorectal area. Patients with GCA often have a poor prognosis due to the high risk of malignant transformation. In this case report, we present a 39-year-old man with HIV who developed progressive and refractory anorectal GCA. Despite initially non-cancerous pathology results, there were concerns regarding a malignant component to the mass. Multidisciplinary discussions led to the decision to pursue definitive radiation therapy. This case report and review of the literature highlight the role of radiation in the management of GCA and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of complex cases.

Back to the future! Selected bone and soft tissue neoplasms with shared genetic alterations but differing morphological and immunohistochemical phenotypes.

Bone and soft tissue tumors (BST) are a highly heterogeneous group largely classified by their line of differentiation, based on their resemblance to their normal counterpart in adult tissue. Yet, rendering a specific diagnosis can be challenging, primarily due to their rarity and overlapping histopathologic features or clinical presentations. Over the past few decades, seemingly histogenetic-specific gene fusions/translocations and amplifications have been discovered, aiding in a more nuanced classification, leading to well-established objective diagnostic criteria and the development of specific surrogate ancillary tests targeting these genetic aberrations (e.g., immunohistochemistry). Ironically, the same research also has revealed that some specific tumor subtypes may be the result of differing and often multiple gene fusions/translocations, but, more interestingly, identical gene fusions may be present in more than one phenotypically and biologically distinct neoplasm, sometimes with entirely different clinical behavior. Prime examples include, EWSR1::ATF1 and, less commonly, EWSR1::CREB1 gene fusions present in both clear cell sarcoma, a malignant high-grade tumor with melanocytic differentiation, and angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, a mesenchymal neoplasm of intermediate malignancy with a generally indolent course. Similarly, MDM2 amplification, once deemed to be pathognomonic for atypical lipomatous tumor/well differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma, has been documented in a range of additional distinct tumors, including low grade osteosarcomas (e.g. low grade central and surface parosteal) and high-grade intimal sarcomas, amongst others. Such findings reinforce the importance of careful attention to morphological and clinicoradiological features and correlation with molecular testing before rendering a specific diagnosis. Future classification systems in BST neoplasms cannot be solely based on molecular events and ideally will balance morphologic features with molecular analysis. Herein, we provide a narrative literature review of the more common BST neoplasms with shared genetic events but differing demographics, morphology, immunophenotype, and clinical behavior, re-emphasizing the importance of the hematoxylin and eosin slide and the "eye" of the practicing pathologist.

Proper Tweeting Etiquette Guidelines for Pathologists, Trainees, and Medical Students on #PathTwitter.

The use of social media in pathology has broadly had a positive impact on pathology education and outreach with the frequent posting of high-quality educational material of potential value to trainees, practicing pathologists, and other clinical and laboratory specialists. These posts are also of potential utility and interest to members of the public, who are now more than ever able to gain a window into the field and the role of pathologists in their medical care. There can be a lighthearted aspect to teaching material with the use of food items/analogies, emojis, or other descriptors, which may cross over into the classroom. However, when pathology discussion is taken to a public forum, such as on Twitter (parent company: X Corp.), there is the potential for posted material to be misunderstood, such as when certain emojis or adjectives may be used to describe a human disease state or patient sample. The authors present examples of potential areas of caution, suggestions of how to create a positive impact, and brief guidelines for social media etiquette on #PathTwitter that may apply to other social media platforms widely used by pathologists (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and KiKo). While the points discussed here may be common knowledge and well-known to pathologists who use social media for virtual medical education, the concerns mentioned here (such as using language like "beautiful" to describe abnormal mitotic figures and cancer cells) still exist and, henceforth, bear reinforcing.

Evolving educational landscape in pathology: a comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis including digital teaching and learning resources.

AIMS: Pathology education is a core component of medical training, and its literature is critical for refining educational modalities. We performed a cross-sectional bibliometric analysis to explore publications on pathology education, focusing on new medical education technologies. METHODS: The analysis identified 64 pathology journals and 53 keywords. Relevant articles were collected using a web application, PaperScraper, developed to accelerate literature search. Citation data were collected from multiple sources. Descriptive statistics, with time period analysis, were performed using Microsoft Excel and visualised with Flourish Studio. Two article groups were further investigated with a bibliometric software, VOSViewer, to establish co-authorship and keyword relationships. RESULTS: 8946 citations were retrieved from 905 selected articles. Most articles were published in the last decade (447, 49.4%). The top journals were Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (184), Human Pathology (122) and the American Journal of Clinical Pathology (117). The highest number of citations was found for Human Pathology (2120), followed by Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (2098) and American Journal of Clinical Pathology (1142). Authors with different backgrounds had the greatest number of articles and citations. 12 co-authorship, 3 keyword and 8 co-citation clusters were found for the social media/online resources group, 8 co-authorship, 4 keyword and 7 co-citation clusters for the digital pathology/virtual microscopy/mobile technologies group. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis revealed a significant increase in publications over time. The emergence of digital teaching and learning resources played a major role in this growth. Overall, these findings underscore the transformative potential of technology in pathology education.

#PathX: #PathTwitter's Transformation and a Discussion on Different Social Media Platforms Used by Pathologists in 2024.

#PathTwitter is a well-known virtual community that has historically been positive for pathologists, trainees, and medical students worldwide to communicate, collaborate, and connect for free. However, in 2023, the popular social media platform Twitter (parent company: X Corp.) transitioned to "X" and, with this, #PathTwitter evolved into #PathX. Although the overall user experience of X and Twitter has not changed significantly, this transition brought much anecdotal hesitancy from the online virtual pathology community early on. Thus, the purpose of this review is to discuss the background of Twitter's importance in pathology, the implications of this transition to the online pathology community, current views from this community regarding Twitter versus X, and to provide an overview of pertinent changes in the platform, as well as of different popular social media platforms that may be used by pathologists in 2024.

Advocating for Training in End-Of-Life Conversations With Seriously Ill Patients During Residency.

According to section IV.B.1.e of common residency program requirements from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), "[r]esidents must learn to communicate with patients and families to partner with them to assess their care goals, including, when appropriate, end-of-care [EOL] goals". EOL conversations are frequently appropriate for patients suffering from serious, life-threatening diseases (ie, terminal illness) or otherwise chronic health conditions with poor disease trajectories. These conversations are often followed with services and care from palliative medicine or hospice specialists depending on patients' projected prognoses (ie, 6 months or less). The focus of this patient-centered care, then, is on relieving patient and caregiver suffering, establishing clear treatment goals, and managing the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual burdens of disease. Although palliative medicine and hospice care have been shown to reduce health care costs and improve the overall care of patients who require these services, recent literature still suggests a gap in training programs being able to provide effective, educational strategies to their trainees regarding the appropriate and competent delivery of EOL conversations. Herein, this commentary will provide a discussion on what EOL is, palliative vs hospice care indications, and address current literature regarding EOL exposure within training programs while offering our personal insight and advocacy on the manner.