BACKGROUND: No previous studies have been published on poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) in Southeast Asia. METHODS: We included all adult PDTC patients diagnosed using the Turin criteria at the Philippine General Hospital from 2006 to 2015. The data collected included demographics, clinical presentation, histopathology, treatment, and outcomes. Tests of association were employed to compare these data with foreign studies on PDTC, as well as with local studies on well differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). RESULTS: Eighteen PDTC cases were identified. The median age was 62 years old, with the majority being females. All patients had goiter on presentation, and most were stage IV at the time of diagnosis. In terms of PDTC subtype, insular and trabecular patterns were equally common. Extrathyroidal extension was documented in eight patients, while five patients each had nodal and distant metastasis. All but one patient underwent surgery; however, less than half received adjuvant radioiodine therapy. The 5-year survival rate was 83%. Three patients (16.7%) died at a median of 12 months after diagnosis. Nine (50%) are still alive with persistent and/or recurrent disease at a median of 39 months after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The behavior of PDTC in this Southeast Asian population was found to be similar to patterns observed in other regions, and exhibited intermediate features between WDTC and ATC. Appropriate surgery provided excellent 5-year survival rates, but the role of adjuvant therapy remains unclear. Larger studies are needed to identify prognostic factors in this population.
Adult ; Asia, Southeastern ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Demography ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Goiter ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Philippines ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

A 63-year old Filipino female presented with epistaxis of undisclosed duration. Examination showed a vascular, pulsating, rubbery intranasal mass involving both nasal cavities. The clinical impression was that of a nasal hemangioma. She underwent excision of the tumor and the specimen was sent for histopathologic evaluation. The specimen consisted of several tan-brown irregular tissue fragments with an aggregate diameter of 2 cm. Microscopic examination showed a cellular spindle cell tumor underneath the respiratory mucosa. (Figure 1) The tumor cells formed a syncytial pattern arranged in whorls that were separated by thin fibrovascular bands. (Figure 2) The cells had round to oval nuclei with nuclear clearing and moderate amount of syncytial cytoplasm compatible with a meningothelial derivation. (Figure 3) There was absence of nuclear atypia, significant mitotic activity, and necrosis. Immunohistochemistry studies showed positivity for Epithelial Membrane Antigen (EMA) and Progesterone Receptors (PR), and absence of reaction for Smooth Muscle Actin (SMA) and CD34. (Figure 4) Our diagnosis was sinonasal tract meningioma. Primary extracranial meningioma of the sinonasal cavity is rare and thus secondary extension from a primary intracranial tumor should be ruled out. It involves a wide age range with no striking gender predilection.1,2 Most common symptoms include nasal obstruction, epistaxis, exophthalmos, and a mass. Etiogenesis is not completely established and is postulated to arise from meningocytes that are entrapped during closure of midline structures, very similar to the development of meningoceles.3 Histopathologic examination discloses a spindle cell tumor arranged predominantly in whorls composed of cells showing meningothelial differentiation. Most are histologically grade 1 tumors. Grade 2 and 3 sinonasal tract meningiomas are rare.4 Histologic differential diagnoses include a glomangiopericytoma, leiomyosarcoma, and a solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma. Close histologic evaluation with appropriate immunohistochemistry studies point to the correct diagnosis. Meningioma shows strong diffuse positivity with EMA and PR, and is usually negative for other immunohistochemistry markers such as muscle actins (for glomangiopericytoma and leiomyosarcoma), and CD34 (for solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma).1,3 A diagnosis of primary sinonasal meningioma should not be made if an intracranial mass is identified.4 Sinonasal meningiomas are benign tumors with no documented distant metastases.1,2 Although recurrences occur in about 30% (mostly due to incomplete excision), metastasis and malignant transformation has not been reported.
Human ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Meningioma ; Epistaxis ; Nasal Cavity ; Mucin-1 ; Immunohistochemistry ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Actins ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; Nose ; Hemangioma ; Respiratory Mucosa ; Muscle, Smooth

Introduction: A size of more than 10 cm suggests that a soft tissue tumor might be malignant. Pertinent ancillary diagnostic testing, such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), may be done to confirm the diagnosis. Several studies have shown that size may be a useful criterion in determining which tumors are candidates for further molecular testing. MDM2 and p16 are IHC markers for atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma (ALT/WDLPS). Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to determine the proportion of tumors signed out as “lipomas” from 2017 to 2019, and measuring at least 10 cm, that express MDM2 and p16 on IHC and warrant revision as ALT/WDLPS. Methodology: This is a descriptive, retrospective cohort study in which all lipomas from 2017 to 2019 that measured at least 10 cm were included. The size, age of the patient, and location of each tumor were documented. The slides of all eligible cases were reviewed and immunohistochemically stained for MDM2 and p16. For each case, the intensity and immunoreactivity of each stain were assessed using a modified, four-tier scoring system. Fisher’s exact test was used to determine if a significant number of tumors expressed MDM2 or p16. Results: Thirty (30) cases satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The average size of these tumors is 15.10 cm. There is no sex predilection. The most common location of these tumors is the extremities. None of the tumors expressed MDM2, and only one case was p16-positive. The case positive for p16 also showed cytologic atypia and variability in cell size, resulting in the revision of its diagnosis from lipoma to atypical lipomatous tumor. The rate of diagnosis revision after slide review and IHC studies is 3.33%. Conclusion None of the adipocytic tumors that measured at least 10 cm in diameter and were signed out as lipomas was MDM2 positive, and only one case was p16-positive. Thus, morphology remains the cornerstone in the diagnosis of adipocytic tumors. Careful microscopic evaluation is necessary to establish the diagnosis of malignancy in these tumors. Ancillary tests should only be considered in cases where the pathologic features are equivocal.
Neoplasms ; Adipose Tissue ; Lipoma ; Extremities

A 57-year-old woman with a 2-year history of a left infra-auricular mass with no associated symptoms presented with a 6.0 cm ´ 4.0 cm ´ 3.0 cm firm, non-tender, movable mass. No imaging was done. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) revealed sheets of epithelial cells that had abundant dense grayish-blue cytoplasm in a mucinous background with abundant lymphocytes (Figure 1), suggestive of salivary gland neoplasm with oncocytic or oncocytoid features (Category IVB, Salivary Gland Neoplasm of Uncertain Malignant Potential).Total parotidectomy revealed a 4.3 X 3.2 X 3.0 cm deep lobe lesion with a tan-grey to dark brown, smooth and dull external surface. Cut sections showed a cream-white to pink, lobulated, heterogenous cut surfaces. Microscopically, the lesion was unencapsulated with poorly demarcated borders. The neoplastic cells were arranged in haphazard sheets and surrounded by abundant lymphocytes. The tumor cells had abundant eosinophilic and granular cytoplasm compatible with oncocytes with mild to moderate nuclear atypia. There were occasional cystic spaces that contained mucin though mucocytes were not readily apparent. (Figure 2) Necrosis, perineural and lymphovascular space invasion or anaplasia were not evident.
Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms ; Parotid Gland

Objective: We examined sociobehavioural factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and estimated COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Philippines. Such studies are limited in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asia and the Pacific. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in two hospitals in Manila, Philippines, from March 2022 to June 2023. Sociobehavioural factors and vaccination history were collected. PCR-positive individuals were cases, while PCR-negative individuals were controls. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were calculated to examine associations between sociobehavioural factors/vaccination and medically attended SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: The analysis included 2489 individuals (574 positive cases, 23.1%; 1915 controls, 76.9%; median age [interquartile range]: 35 [27–51] years). Although education and household income were not associated with infection, being a health-care worker was (aOR: 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–2.06). The odds of infection were higher among individuals who attended gatherings of five or more people compared to those who attended smaller gatherings (aOR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.14–5.83). Absolute vaccine effectiveness for vaccination status was not estimated due to a high risk of bias, for example, unascertained prior infection. Moderate relative vaccine effectiveness for the first booster (32%; 95% CI: -120–79) and the second booster (48%; 95% CI: -23–78) were observed (both with wide CI), albeit with a waning trend after half a year. Discussion: The higher odds of infection among health-care workers emphasize the importance of infection prevention and control measures. Moderate relative vaccine effectiveness with a waning trend reiterates the need for more efficacious vaccines against symptomatic infection caused by circulating variants and with longer duration of protection.