1.Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Prostate in a Young Adult
Xhyrel June Tagaylo ; Jeffrey S So ; Manuel C See IV
Acta Medica Indonesiana 2026;58(1):82-87
Abstract
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) is a primitive and aggressive soft tissue tumor that arises from premature mesenchymal cells and accounts for less than 1% of prostate malignancies. We present the case of a 26-year-old Filipino male who initially sought consultation and work-up for acute urinary retention. Although his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was normal, a kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) ultrasound revealed an incidental finding of an enlarged prostate gland. Subsequent imaging tests (MRI and CT) identified a large, partially exophytic mass on the prostate with intravesical extension. The patient underwent a biopsy via transurethral resection at another institution, which yielded findings of a poorly differentiated carcinoma, primarily suggesting prostatic adenocarcinoma with a Gleason score of 10 (5+5). A request for slide review was submitted to our institution, and subsequent immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies—highlighting the tumor's immunoreactivity to myogenin and desmin—confirmed the diagnosis of ERMS. In this report, we discuss the clinical features, pathogenesis, treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis of this rare prostate tumor.
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma
;
Immunohistochemistry
;
Prostate
;
Young adult
2.Serous Cystadenocarcinoma of the Paratestis: A Rare Presentation of a Müllerian Tumor in an Elderly Filipino Male
Xhyrel June J. Tagaylo ; Jeffrey S. So ; Steffanie Charlyne A. Tamayo ; Patricia Danielle V. Dayrit ; Angelo Gabriel P. Profeta ; Neil Patrick Jose L. Samson ; Macario S. Vjuan S. Vjuan
Philippine Journal of Pathology 2026;(75th PSP Research Competition Abstracts):1-
Introduction:
Müllerian tumors are rare in males, with serous tumors representing
the most often subtype with only 50 cases documented. Excluding the benign/
borderline counterparts, only 29 are reported as primary malignant testicular masses
and only 4 are reported in the elderly. Due to rarity, there is no exact consensus in the
optimal grouping and management of these patients. Herein we report a case of serous
cystadenocarcinoma of the paratestis in an elderly Filipino male.
Case Description:
A 66 y/o male presented with scrotal enlargement. He had
previously undergone a Hartmann’s procedure for fecal impaction. An incidental
finding of a complicated hydrocele was noted on CT scan done few months prior his
scheduled colostomy takedown. He was subsequently referred to urology service for
evaluation. Tumor markers (AFP and βHCG) were all normal. One month prior to
admission, a marked increase in the size of the right scrotum was observed, prompting
decision to proceed with surgery.
Discussion:
Orchiectomy specimen evaluation requires careful assessment of tumor
appearance, location, and extent. In this case, the tumor arises in the paratestis without
involvement of the testicular parenchyma, showing solid and cystic areas with papillary
excrescences. The tumor showed enlarged, hyperchromatic nuclei with irregular
contours, abundant cytoplasm, and psammoma bodies. IHC revealed negative for
calretinin, glypican3, CDX2, SATB2, and CK20, but positive for CK7, Pax8, ER, and
WT1. Paratesticular serous cystadenocarcinoma diagnosis was made after carefully
ruling-out mesothelioma, YST and/or metastases. P53 staining was equivocal, with 5%
of cells positive amid broad negativity. Molecular testing was advised for grading and
prognosis.
Conclusion
Serous cancers are rare in males and must require IHC for diagnosis and
radical surgery due to high resistance to other treatments. Hydrocele being a frequent
finding can sometimes delay the diagnosis. Careful monitoring remains critical for
detecting progression and metastasis.
Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous
;
Orchiectomy
3.A Rare Case of a High-Grade Prostatic Adenocarcinoma with Aberrant Nuclear p63 Expression
Ken Paolo Limonero Ibasco ; Jeffrey Santos So
Philippine Journal of Pathology 2026;(75th PSP Research Competition Abstracts):1-
Introduction:
Prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma is defined by loss of the basal cell
marker p63, a feature routinely used to distinguish malignant glands from benign
mimickers. Rarely, prostate carcinomas demonstrate aberrant nuclear p63 expression,
representing a diagnostically challenging subtype reported in less than 1% of cases.
Most described tumors exhibit lower Gleason grades and relatively indolent clinical
behavior. We report a rare case of high-grade prostatic adenocarcinoma with aberrant
p63 expression and aggressive clinical course.
Case Description:
A 77-year-old Filipino male presented with worsening hematuria
and fever. PET-CT demonstrated multifocal Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen
(PSMA)-avid lesions in the left prostate with enlargement, irregular contour, intravesical
extension, and PSMA-avid retroperitoneal and iliac lymph nodes suggestive of
metastatic disease. The patient had a prior diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma
(Gleason 4+5=9) in 2022 and had been treated with androgen-targeted therapy. Due
to persistent symptoms, transurethral resection was performed. Histology revealed
complete effacement of prostatic architecture by malignant cells arranged in sheets with
enlarged vesicular nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and frequent mitoses. Immunostaining
showed diffuse CK, CAM5.2, and PSA positivity with aberrant patchy nuclear p63
expression and a Ki-67 index of 60%. Lymphoid, urothelial, and neuroendocrine
markers were negative. The tumor was diagnosed as prostatic adenocarcinoma, Gleason
score 5+5=10, with aberrant nuclear p63 expression.
Discussion:
Aberrant p63-positive prostatic adenocarcinoma is a rare molecular
subtype characterized by a mixed basal–luminal immunophenotype. Most reported
cases demonstrate lower Gleason scores and organ-confined disease with relatively
favorable outcomes. In contrast, our case exhibited an exceptionally high Gleason score
with radiologic evidence of metastasis and rapid clinical deterioration, suggesting a
broader and potentially more aggressive spectrum of behavior.
Conclusion
Recognition of aberrant p63 expression is essential to avoid diagnostic
misinterpretation. Despite ongoing therapy, the patient developed acute intracranial
hemorrhage and ultimately succumbed to the disease. This case highlights an aggressive
presentation of a rare immunophenotypic variant and underscores the importance
of clinicopathologic correlation to better define its prognostic significance.
Adenocarcinoma
4.Prostate cancer: a presentation of clinicopathologic prognosticators among Filipino and American men at radical prostatectomy.
Mayen T GRAGEDA ; Bonnie CHOY ; Gladell P PANER ; Jeffrey S SO
Asian Journal of Andrology 2021;23(5):516-519
Lower incidence and mortality rates from prostate cancer (PCa) have been shown in Asian men in general compared to Westerners. This is the first study detailing the clinicopathologic features of resected prostate cancer in Filipino men living in the Philippines (PH). This study investigated the supposed "lower risk" Filipino and "higher risk" American PCa patients from the PH and the United States of America (USA), respectively. We examined 348 (176 from PH, 172 from USA) radical prostatectomy cases. The clinicopathologic features of both groups (age at time of diagnosis, preoperative prostate-specific antigen [pre-op PSA] level, Gleason score [GS], Grade groups [GG], margin involvement, extraprostatic extension [EPE], seminal vesicle invasion [SVI], and regional lymph node [RLN] metastasis) were compared. Six of seven prognosticators examined were more strongly associated with Filipinos than with Americans. Filipinos were older at diagnosis (PH: 64.32 ± 6.56 years vs USA: 58.98 ± 8.08 years) and had higher pre-op PSA levels (PH: 21.39 ± 46.40 ng ml
5.Multivariate analysis of factors affecting biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.
John David V. Balingit ; Lorelei D. Sapno ; Jeffrey S. So ; Dennis G. Lusaya ; Josefino C. Castillo ; Dennis P. Serrano
Philippine Journal of Urology 2019;29(1):30-39
OBJECTIVE:
This study aims to evaluate the effects on biochemical recurrence (BCR) of the followingproposed prognostic factors after radical prostatectomy (RP): patients' clinical T stage, Gleason gradegroup (GG) of RP specimen, technique of operation used (open RP vs. robot-assisted laparoscopicRP), presence of positive surgical margin (PSM), length of PSM, GG at PSM, extraprostatic extension(EPE) at PSM, and presence of detectable PSA at 4-6 weeks after RP. It also aims to identify whichamong the aforementioned variables are independent predictors of risk for BCR.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
This is a retrospective study. Included in the study were patients who underwentRP (Open and Robot-assisted Laparoscopic technique) at two tertiary hospital branches of an academicmedical center from April 2009 to December 2015 with histopathology reports read by a singleurologic pathologist and with complete follow- up for at least one year. Excluded were those whounderwent RP but without complete follow- up. Using Pearson chi-square and z-test with level ofsignificance set at 0.05, the clinicopathologic variables including: patients clinical stage, GG of RPspecimen, length of PSM, GG at positive margins, presence of EPE at positive margins, and presenceof detectable PSA after the surgery were assessed in order to know which among these factors werepredictive of BCR. Multinomial regression analysis was also used to identify which among the variableswere independent predictors of risk for BCR.
RESULTS:
A total of 165 patients underwent RP from April 2009 to December 2015, among which 72patients were eligible for inclusion in the final analysis. Clinical T2 stage was found to be a predictorof BCR with odds ratio of 13.000 (95%CI: 3.705 - 45.620; p < 0.001) as compared to stage T1. GGof final histopathology report of prostatectomy specimen was found to be a predictor of BCR, asthose with grade groups 4 and 5 had significantly increased risk of BCR with odds ratio of 70.778(95%CI: 8.207 - 610.426; p < 0.001) as compared to those with grade groups 1 to 3. Patients withpositive margins had increased risk of BCR, with odds ratio of 13.458 (95%CI: 13.472 - 52.171; p <0.001) compared to those with negative margins. GG at the PSM was found to be a predictor of BCR,with a grade grouping of 4 or 5 at the positive margin predicting BCR with odds ratio of 20.625(95%CI: 2.241 - 189.847; p = 0.008) as compared to grade grouping of 1 or 2 at the margin. DetectablePSA after RP was found to be a predictor of BCR, with odds ratio of 115.000 (95%CI: 19.457 -679.712; p < 0.001) as compared to undetectable PSA after RP. Technique of RP (p = 0.177), measuredlength of PSM (p = 0.713), and EPE at PSM (p = 0.146) were not found to predict BCR. Furthermore,clinical T stage (p = 0.007) and detectable PSA after RP (p < 0.001) were found to be independentpredictors of BCR among the risk factors examined.
CONCLUSION
Of the independent variables examined, clinical T stage, GG of RP specimen, presenceof PSM, GG at positive margins, and detectable PSA were found to be significant predictors of BCR. Technique of RP, measured length of PSM, and EPE at PSM were not found to predict BCR.Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that only clinical T stage and detectable PSA after RPwere independent predictors of BCR. Attentive assessment of these predictors in the preoperativeperiod should aid the urologist in clinical decision-making and in advising patients regarding theirprognosis.
6.Accuracy of the multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and multiparametric MRI ultrasound cognitive fusion biopsy in the detection of prostate cancer among patients at a tertiary hospital.
John Mark Garcia ; Jason L. Letran ; Jeffrey S. So
Philippine Journal of Urology 2018;28(1):14-22
OBJECTIVE:
Image-guided targeted biopsy techniques have been proposed to address problems ofsystematic transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsies that lead to the suboptimal cancer detectionrate as well as inaccurate grading of the disease. This study aims to provide local data on the diagnosticaccuracy of multiparametric MRI (MP-MRI) and MP-MRI ultrasound cognitive fusion biopsy inidentifying areas of clinically significant malignancy of the prostate.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
This is a validity study involving patients who underwent MP-MRI and MP-MRI ultrasound cognitive fusion biopsy, who eventually underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radicalprostatectomy (RALRP). Outcome measures included sensitivity, specificity, positive and negativepredictive values of MP-MRI and MP-MRI ultrasound cognitive fusion biopsy. Reference standardused was the final histopathologic report obtained after RALRP.
RESULTS:
MP-MRI has a sensitivity of 35.5%, specificity of 95.2%, positive predictive value of 97.1%,and negative predictive value of 25%. MP-MRI ultrasound fusion biopsy had similar results, withsensitivity of 34.4%, specificity of 81.0%, positive predictive value of 88.9%, and negative predictivevalue of 21.8%.
CONCLUSION
The high specificity and positive predictive value of MP-MRI (95.2% and 97.1%respectively) indicates the necessity for a prostate biopsy and supports the utility of a targeted MP-MRI guided ultrasound cognitive fusion biopsy. However, the low sensitivity and negative predictivevalue (25% and 35% respectively) of 35.5% indicates that MP-MRI guidance does not limit thenumber of biopsy samples only to visible MP-MRI lesions, since negative areas on MP-MRI stillcontains tumors in 75% of cases.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail