Purpose To investigate the correlation between molecular typing of urothelial carcinoma(UC)and its clinicopathologic features and prognosis,in order to explore the prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for UC.Methods 115 patients with UC were retrospectively analyzed.Immunohistochemical markers GATA-3,CK20,CK5/6 and CD44 were used for molecular typing of UC(luminal-like type,basal-like type and null).Correlations between molecular typing and clinicopathological features were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher precise test.Sur-vival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier test and Log-rank test.Results The expression of GATA-3 and CK20 was negatively correlated with the clinical stage of UC,while the expression of CD44 was positively correlated with the clinical stage of UC(both P＜0.05).CK20 was a marker of good prognosis(P=0.03).The proportion of clinically advanced UC with basal-like type was significantly higher than that of luminal-like type(78.4％vs 53.4％,P=0.033).Among the histologic variants,UC with neuroendocrine differentiation(100％),sarcomatoid carcinoma(80.0％)and squamous differentiation(77.8％)were basal-like type.All plasmacytoid and lymphoepithelioma-like types,as well as 81.8％of micropapillary UC.Among the null phenotypes,the differential variant predominated(66.7％).Compared with the luminal-like type,although the prognosis of basal-like UC was worse,there was no sta-tistically significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion Patients with CK20-expressing UC had a significantly better prognosis.The main histologic variants types of basal-like type and coelomofacial type are different.Molecular typing of UC using immunohistochemical markers is suggestive of clinical staging and prognosis of patients.

Purpose To investigate the relationship between the expression of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in urothelial carcinoma(UC)and its clinicopathologic features and prognosis.Methods Clinical data of 115 UC patients were col-lected.EnVision two-step method was used for immunohistochemical analysis to determine the expression of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in UC and their correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis.Transcriptomic data from TCGA database were used to analyze the correlation between the expression of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in bladder cancer and the pathological stage and prognosis of bladder cancer.qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in tumor tissues and adjacent tissues of patients.Results TCGA database analysis showed that the expression level of NECTIN-3 in urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma(UBUC)was significantly lower than that in paracancer tissues,and POSTN expression was positively correlated with pathological stage.Prognostic a-nalysis showed that POSTN expression was negatively correlated with the overall survival of UBUC(P＞0.05),and NECTIN-3 expression was negatively correlated with disease-free survival of UBUC(P＞0.05).The experimental re-suits showed that patients with positive POSTN expression were more prone to perineural invasion[25 cases(86.2％)vs 4 cases(13.8％),P=0.019],vascular invasion[36 cases(83.7％)vs 7 cases(16.3％),P=0.007],and lymph node metastasis[24 cases(88.9％)vs 3 cases(11.1％),P=0.033].Additionally,the positive expression rate of POSTN in UBUC was significantly higher than that in upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC)(75.0％vs 54.3％,P=0.028).Higher expression levels of POSTN and NECTIN-3 were associated with shorter overall survival,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion There is no significant correlation between NECTIN-3 and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of urothelial carcinoma,while the expression of POSTN is correlated with the invasive clinicopathological features of UC,which has certain suggestive significance for clinical stage and prognosis.

Purpose To investigate the correlation between molecular typing of urothelial carcinoma(UC)and its clinicopathologic features and prognosis,in order to explore the prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for UC.Methods 115 patients with UC were retrospectively analyzed.Immunohistochemical markers GATA-3,CK20,CK5/6 and CD44 were used for molecular typing of UC(luminal-like type,basal-like type and null).Correlations between molecular typing and clinicopathological features were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher precise test.Sur-vival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier test and Log-rank test.Results The expression of GATA-3 and CK20 was negatively correlated with the clinical stage of UC,while the expression of CD44 was positively correlated with the clinical stage of UC(both P＜0.05).CK20 was a marker of good prognosis(P=0.03).The proportion of clinically advanced UC with basal-like type was significantly higher than that of luminal-like type(78.4％vs 53.4％,P=0.033).Among the histologic variants,UC with neuroendocrine differentiation(100％),sarcomatoid carcinoma(80.0％)and squamous differentiation(77.8％)were basal-like type.All plasmacytoid and lymphoepithelioma-like types,as well as 81.8％of micropapillary UC.Among the null phenotypes,the differential variant predominated(66.7％).Compared with the luminal-like type,although the prognosis of basal-like UC was worse,there was no sta-tistically significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion Patients with CK20-expressing UC had a significantly better prognosis.The main histologic variants types of basal-like type and coelomofacial type are different.Molecular typing of UC using immunohistochemical markers is suggestive of clinical staging and prognosis of patients.

Purpose To investigate the relationship between the expression of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in urothelial carcinoma(UC)and its clinicopathologic features and prognosis.Methods Clinical data of 115 UC patients were col-lected.EnVision two-step method was used for immunohistochemical analysis to determine the expression of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in UC and their correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis.Transcriptomic data from TCGA database were used to analyze the correlation between the expression of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in bladder cancer and the pathological stage and prognosis of bladder cancer.qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of POSTN and NECTIN-3 in tumor tissues and adjacent tissues of patients.Results TCGA database analysis showed that the expression level of NECTIN-3 in urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma(UBUC)was significantly lower than that in paracancer tissues,and POSTN expression was positively correlated with pathological stage.Prognostic a-nalysis showed that POSTN expression was negatively correlated with the overall survival of UBUC(P＞0.05),and NECTIN-3 expression was negatively correlated with disease-free survival of UBUC(P＞0.05).The experimental re-suits showed that patients with positive POSTN expression were more prone to perineural invasion[25 cases(86.2％)vs 4 cases(13.8％),P=0.019],vascular invasion[36 cases(83.7％)vs 7 cases(16.3％),P=0.007],and lymph node metastasis[24 cases(88.9％)vs 3 cases(11.1％),P=0.033].Additionally,the positive expression rate of POSTN in UBUC was significantly higher than that in upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC)(75.0％vs 54.3％,P=0.028).Higher expression levels of POSTN and NECTIN-3 were associated with shorter overall survival,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion There is no significant correlation between NECTIN-3 and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of urothelial carcinoma,while the expression of POSTN is correlated with the invasive clinicopathological features of UC,which has certain suggestive significance for clinical stage and prognosis.

The apprenticeship education of Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is an important pathway for the cultivation of talents in TCM education.The combination of institutional education and apprenticeship education is considered to be the most suitable educational model that aligns with the inherent characteristics of TCM education.The current status of TCM education in western medical institutions and the main challenges include the difficulty in transitioning between western and Chinese medical reasoning and limited clinical internship hours for TCM.The strengths and features of TCM apprenticeship education lie in cultural heritage,classical teachings,mentorship,practice orientation and personalized education.Therefore,integration of TCM apprenticeship education and clinical internships for western medical students represents a new educational model for medical undergraduates.

Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations, imaging features, clinicopathologic features, and differential diagnosis of solitary fibrous tumors/anginoblastomas (SFT/HPCs) originating in the central nervous system. Methods: Sixty cases of SFT/HPCs originating in the central nervous system were collected at Nanjing Jinling Hospital, from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2016. The clinical data, imaging data, histomorphologic changes and immunohistochemical finding were analyzed in the sixty cases. Results: The 60 cases included 26 males and 34 females, aged 14 to 85 (median 49) years. The main clinical manifestations were headache, dizziness with nausea and vomiting. Radiologically, the tumors were large, enhancing, solid and cystic masses attached to the dura. Histopathologically, the neoplasms were composed of spindle cells with oval nuclei, inconspicuous nucleoli and moderate amount of eosinophilic cytoplasm arranged in fascicles with areas of hyalinized stroma, myxoid changes and a staghorn vascular pattern. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells of all cases were positive for vimentin (100.0%, 60/60), STAT6 (98.3%, 59/60), CD34 (61.7%, 37/60), and the tumor cells were typically positive for CD99, bcl-2, EMA and SSTR2 as well.Negative for S-100 protein, SOX10, E-cadherin, GFAP. Ki-67 index ranged from 1% to 50%. Forty cases were followed up for 6 to 82 months with average of 40 months, 30 patients were alive and 10 patients died. Conclusions Central nervous system SFT/HPCs can be aggressive and relapses may occur several years after diagnosis. STAT6 is highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis. Complete tumor resection is optional treatment followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. There is a correlation between the prognosis and the location of the disease, the histological grade, Ki-67 index, and fusion gene variants.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features and differential diagnosis of alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS).

METHODSThe clinical data and pathologic features of 48 cases of ASPS were evaluated. Immunohistochemical study, PAS staining and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) were carried out in selected examples. Relevant literature was reviewed.

RESULTSAmongst the 48 cases studied, there were 17 males and 31 females, with male-to-female ratio of 1.0∶1.8. The age of patients ranged from 2 to 60 years (median=26 years). The tumor was most commonly located in deep soft tissue, especially that of lower extremities. Histologically, the tumor cells were arranged in alveolar or solid patterns and separated by sinusoidal vessels. They were large and contained abundant eosinophilic granules or crystals in cytoplasm. The nuclei were round to polygonal and vesicular, often with prominent nucleoli. Intravascular tumor extension was common. Some cases showed necrosis, hemorrhage and cystic changes. Immunohistochemical study showed that the tumor cells were positive for TFE3 (100%, 33/33). FISH assay was carried out in 4 cases and all of them had TFE3-ASPL gene fusion.

CONCLUSIONSASPS is a rare malignant neoplasm, often occurs in young patients. TFE3 is a useful immunohistochemical marker for diagnosis. The diagnosis is further confirmed by other markers.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gene Fusion ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics, differential diagnosis and prognosis of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas (PEHs).Methods The clinical symptoms and imaging findings of 6 cases of PEHs were investigated and pathologic analyses including histomorphologic and immunohistochemical studies were performed.Results Clinical symptoms of the patients were nonspecific and insidious.The typical radiological manifestation was characterized by multiple small pulmonary nodules. The pathological findings were well-demarcated hypocellular hyalinized nodules with more cellularity at the periphery of the nodule. The neoplastic cells showed mild nuclear atypia and prominent eosinophilic cytoplasm with vacuoles, attempting to form primitive vasculature.Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive to CD31, CD34 and ERG.Follow-up data from 8 months to 5 years showed no tumor progression, except for the development of bone metastases in one case at 6 months.Conclusions PEHs are uncommon vascular tumors with low-intermediate malignancy. Using H&E and immunohistochemistry, the final pathological diagnosis can be made and misdiagnosed as a benign fibrotic nodule or other malignant tumors can be avoided. The most effective treatment is surgical resection, if necessary, combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

To explore the automated immunostainer screening anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene fusion non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and clinicopathological characteristics of the molecular subtype lung cancers. Methods Five hundred and sixty-six cases of NSCLC were collected over a 16 month period. The test for ALK was performed by Ventana automated immunostainer with anti-ALK D5F3. The histological features, treatment and outcome of patients were assessed. Results Thirty-eight cases (6.7%, 38/566) of NSCLC showed ALK gene fusion. The frequency of ALK gene fusion was higher in male (7.1%, 25/350) than that in female (6.0%, 13/216) patients, but not achieving statistical significance (chi2 = 0.270, P = 0.604). ALK + NSCLC was more significantly more frequent in patients < or = 60 years (9.9%, 28/282) than >60 years (3.5% , 10/284) of age. Histologically, the ALK + NSCLCs were mostly adenocarcinoma (81.6%, 31/38) , among which eighteen cases were solid predominant subtype with mucin production; nine cases were acinar predominant subtype; one case was papillary predominant subtype and three cases were invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. The ALK + non-adenocarcinoma included three cases of squamous cell carcinoma, three cases of adenosquamous carcinoma and one case of pleomorphic carcinoma. Among the ALK + NSCLC patients, the number of non/light cigarette smokers (86. 8% , 33/38) was more than that of heavy smokers. Twenty-nine cases were stages III and IV; twenty-nine cases showed lymph node metastasis; twenty cases showed metastases mostly to brain and bone; and one case showed EGFR gene mutation coexisting with ALK gene fusion. Twelve of fifteen patients received crizotinib therapy and remained stable. Conclusions NSCLC with ALK gene rearrangement shows distinctive clinical and histological features. Ventana-IHC may he a feasible and valid technique for detection of ALK rearrangement in NSCLC.
Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; genetics ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Fusion ; Gene Rearrangement ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Pyrazoles ; therapeutic use ; Pyridines ; therapeutic use ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; Sex Factors

Purpose To investigate the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of primary small cell carcinoma of the cervix ( SCCC) and its prognosis. Methods 18 cases of primary cervical small cell carcinoma were evaluated by histopathology, in si-tu hybridization and immunohistochemistry and relevant literatures were reviewed. Results The age of the patients ranged from 30 to 69 years ( mean age, 40 years) . Major clinical manifestation was irregular colporrhagia. Colposcopy often revealed a cervical mass or cervical erosion. Microscopically, the tumor cells were small and round and arranged in a solid distribution. The cell had little cyto-plasm and increased karyoplasmic ratio with deeply stained granular chromatin and increased pathological mitosis. Immunohistochemi-cally, the tumor cells were often positive for CKpan, variable positive for Syn, NES, CgA, CD56 and p16. HPV 16/18 were positive in 4 cases. Conclusion SCCC is a neuroendocrine tumor of high malignancy and poor prognosis with a possible pathogenesis of HPV 16/18 infection. CKpan, Syn, CgA, NSE and CD56 are useful markers for the diagnosis of SCCC.