Molecular Pathology
Amirhossein Jafarian; Masoumeh Jafaripour; Masoumeh Gharib; Maryam Salehi; Nema Mohamadian Roshan; Sare Etemad; Khatoone Mirshekar; Maryam Sheikhi; Masoumeh Heidari; Behnaz Ahmadian; Zahra Khoshnegah; Hossein Ayatollahi; Payam Siyadat
Abstract
Background & Objective: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most prevalent type of ovarian cancer. Previous studies have elucidated different pathways for the progress of this malignancy. The mutation in the B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) gene, a member of the MAPK/ERK signaling ...
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Background & Objective: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most prevalent type of ovarian cancer. Previous studies have elucidated different pathways for the progress of this malignancy. The mutation in the B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) gene, a member of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, plays a role in EOC. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of the BRAF V600E mutation in ovarian serous and mucinous tumors, including borderline and carcinoma subtypes.Methods: A total of 57 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples, including serous borderline tumors (SBTs), low-grade serous carcinomas (LGSCs), high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs), mucinous borderline tumors (MBTs), and mucinous carcinomas, and 57 normal ovarian tissues were collected. The BRAF V600E mutation was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing.Results: While 40% of the SBT harbor BRAF mutation, we found no BRAF mutation in the invasive serous carcinoma (P=0.017). Also, there was only 1 BRAF mutation in MBT and no mutation in mucinous carcinomas. In addition, we found no mutation in the control group.Conclusion: The BRAF mutation is most frequent in borderline tumors but not in invasive serous carcinomas. It seems that 2 different pathways exist for the development of ovarian epithelial neoplasms: one for borderline tumors and the other for high-grade invasive carcinomas. Our study supports this hypothesis. The BRAF mutation is rare in mucinous neoplasms.
Cytology
Mahmoud Reza Kalantari; Mohammad Ali Jahanshahi; Masoumeh Gharib; Sara Hashemi; Shakiba Kalantari
Abstract
Background & Objective: Urine cytology is an important diagnostic method for urinary tract cancers (especially carcinomas), which is suitable for follow-up of residual urothelial tumors after surgery of malignant bladder tumors. In this study, for the first time, liquid-based cytology (LBC) was used ...
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Background & Objective: Urine cytology is an important diagnostic method for urinary tract cancers (especially carcinomas), which is suitable for follow-up of residual urothelial tumors after surgery of malignant bladder tumors. In this study, for the first time, liquid-based cytology (LBC) was used in cervical cytology. Compared to direct smear cytology (DSC), LBC reduced background elements (including cellular debris, inflammatory cells, and blood cells), provided better cell preservation, and had a higher satisfaction rate. In this study, we performed two different methods (DSC and LBC) to detect bladder lesions; also, we determined the sensitivity and specificity of these methods.Methods: A total of 146 samples were taken from patients with suspected bladder cancer and processed for direct smear and LBC. In both methods, findings were reported according to the Paris System. Then, patients underwent cystoscopy and biopsy. Next, the accuracy of cytology methods was evaluated according to biopsy reports. The sensitivity and specificity of these methods were also calculated.Results: Credit indices obtained for the direct smear method included sensitivity (62.5%), specificity (89%), positive predictive value (89.5%), and negative predictive value (91.5%). For LBC methods, credit indices included sensitivity (85.7%), specificity (99%), positive predictive value (96%), and negative predictive value (96%). Agreement between the two methods was statistically significant (P<0.000) in negative biopsies but not in positive biopsies (P>0.05).Conclusion: This study showed that LBC has higher sensitivity and specificity than the direct smear.
Molecular Pathology
Amir Hossein Jafarian; Nema Mohammadian Roshan; Hossein Ayatollahi; Abbas Ali Omidi; Masoumeh Ghaznavi; Masoumeh Gharib
Abstract
Background & Objective:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and uniformly fatal interstitial lung disease with incompletely understood pathogenesis. Several studies have given the evidence for and against viral cofactors in the pathogenesis of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In this study ...
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Background & Objective:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and uniformly fatal interstitial lung disease with incompletely understood pathogenesis. Several studies have given the evidence for and against viral cofactors in the pathogenesis of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In this study Epstein-Bar Virus (EBV) and Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) have been studied for a possible role in the pathogenesis of IPF.Methods:Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed for the detection of EBV and HHV-8 in 58 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung tissue specimens (29 controls and 29 IPF specimens).Results:EBV DNA was present in the lung tissue of 6 out of 29 (20.7%) IPF specimens compared with 1 out of 29 (3.4%) controls (P=0.102). The HHV-8 gene was identified in 3 out of 29 (10.3%) cases of IPF specimens. The control group showed no evidence of HHV-8 gene (P=0.227).Conclusion:Although multiple studies are strongly suggestive of a role for EBV and HHV-8 in the development of IPF, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of EBV and HHV-8 DNA in the IPF specimens and controls in this study.
Molecular Pathology
Amir Hossein Jafarian; Nema Mohammadian Roshan; Masoumeh Gharib; Vahid Moshirahmadi; Aida Tasbandi; Amir Ali Ayatollahi; Hossein Ayatollahi
Abstract
Background and Objective: The primary goal of this study is to develop a rigorous understanding ofthe correlation between COX-2 expression and malignant melanoma prognostic factors. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 60 cases of cutaneous malignant melanoma. The related ...
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Background and Objective: The primary goal of this study is to develop a rigorous understanding ofthe correlation between COX-2 expression and malignant melanoma prognostic factors. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 60 cases of cutaneous malignant melanoma. The related stained slides were reviewed by two pathologists. The results were interpreted according to the COX2 staining index (SI), tumor thickness (Breslow, Clark), number of mitoses per 10 hpf, and melanoma types. Gender, lymph node involvement, metastasis, and survival were considered as evaluation factors as well. Results: The expression of the COX-2 protein was evident in 98.4% of cases. A strong Staining Index(SI) was reported in 60% of all melanomas, moderate staining was detected in 20.8% and weak staining in 10%; 1.6% of studied cases showed no staining. Benign nevus specimens showed no staining for the COX-2 enzyme. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that COX-2 is strongly expressed in the majority of malignant melanomas and that the SI score of COX-2 is related to the number of mitoses, tumor thickness (based on Clark level and Breslow), melanoma sub-type, lymph node involvement, and metastases; No association was noted between the anatomic site, gender, and survival. COX-2 can be applied as a prognostic factor in malignant melanoma and a promising candidate for future target therapies.
Amir Hossein Jafarian; Masoumeh Gharib; Nema Mohammadian Roshan; Samaneh Sherafatnia; Abbas Ali Omidi; Sahar Bagheri
Abstract
Background & objective: The histologic distinction of small cell from non-small cell lung carcinoma and correct identification of all subtypes of lung carcinoma are very important in treatment management. The main method for histologic classification of lung tumors is based on morphology. However, ...
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Background & objective: The histologic distinction of small cell from non-small cell lung carcinoma and correct identification of all subtypes of lung carcinoma are very important in treatment management. The main method for histologic classification of lung tumors is based on morphology. However, in small bronchoscopic biopsies in particular, distinction is very difficult upon morphology alone. The current study aimed at evaluating the utility of a panel of antibodies, consisting of thyroid transcription factor (TTF-1), P63, high molecular weight keratin [HMWK (34βE12)], cytokeratin (CK7), and cluster of differentiation (CD56) for accurate distinction of bronchogenic carcinomas. Methods: Bronchoscopic biopsies of 60 lung carcinoma cases including 20 small cell carcinomas, 20 adenocarcinomas, and 20 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) with typical morphologic features were selected. All these cases were immunohistochemically stained for TTF-1, P63, HMWK (34βE12), CK7, and CD56. All immunostained slides were scored as either positive or negative. Results: The mean age of the patients was 60 years; ranged from 35 to 81. Sixteen patients were female and 44 were male. All adenocarcinomas were positive for CK7 and most of them (18/20; 90%) were positive for TTF-1. Most of small cell lung carcinomas were positive for TTF-1 (17/20; 85%), and CD56 (18/20; 90%). All squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) were negative for TTF-1, but most of them were positive for HMWK (34βE12) and P63. Conclusion: The obtained data showed that TTF-1, P63, CK7, CD56 and/or 34βE12 represent a useful panel of antibodies to identify lung carcinoma subtypes in small bronchoscopic biopsies.
