Erika Rodriguez

Shared gene expression alterations in prostate cancer and histologically benign prostate from patients with prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) field effect alterations provide important clues regarding the initiation of these tumors and suggest targets for prevention or biomarkers for early detection. However, biomarkers of PCa field effects that have passed independent validation are lacking, largely because these alterations are subtle and difficult to distinguish from unrelated small changes in gene expression. We hypothesized that shared expression alterations in PCa and benign prostates containing PCa (BPCs) would have a higher potential for independent validation than alterations identified in BPCs alone. Expression analyses were performed on 37 PCas and 36 unmatched BPCs and were contrasted with 28 benign prostates (BPs) from patients free of PCa. Most of the protein-coding genes and nonexonic RNAs selected according to the hypothesis were validated by quantitative RT-PCR in an independent set of 51 BPCs and BPs. A statistical model based on two markers distinguished BPCs from BPs in the RT-PCR set and in an external microarray (area under the curve = 0.84 and 0.90, respectively). In addition, genes with predominant expression in stroma were identified by expression profiling of pure stroma and epithelial cells. Pathway analysis identified dysregulated platelet-derived growth factor receptor signaling in BPC stroma. These results validate our approach for finding PCa field effect alterations and demonstrate a PCa transcriptome fingerprint in nonneoplastic cells in prostates containing cancer.

Intrapancreatic accessory spleen: A case report and review of literature

Intrapancreatic accessory spleen is not an uncommon entity and usually located in the tail of the pancreas. Most of them are asymptomatic and incidental findings on radiologic study or at autopsy. On imaging study, it appears to be a well‐defined, solitary, and hypervascular lesion; therefore, it may be confused with pancreatic neoplasms, such as neuroendocrine neoplasm, well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma, solid pseudopapillary tumor, or metastatic tumor to the pancreas. As such, the diagnostic fine‐needle aspiration biopsy of the lesion may be performed. Several case reports describing cytological features of the lesion have been published in recent years. Among them, the most commonly identified cytological findings are sheets of a heterogeneous population of lymphocytes and prominent traversing blood vessels. Herein, we report an unusual EUS‐FNA case of intrapancreatic accessory spleen. In addition to above previously well‐described cytological features, our case revealed many cells with fine granular chromatin and areas with pseudo rosette‐like architecture, mimicking and engendering the differential diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Although cytological findings of our case are rare, they may extend our current knowledge and provide additional differential diagnostic information for this entity. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013.

Cytologic findings of gastric schwannoma: a case report.

Spindle cell lesions of the stomach are rare. They usually affect the submucosa or muscularis propria and therefore can be sampled by endoscopic fine needle aspiration. The most common tumor in this category is gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), followed by leiomyoma and gastric schwannoma. Gastric schwannoma is a benign tumor of neuroectodermal origin that has overlapping morphologic/cytologic features with GIST and leiomyoma. Gastric schwannomas differ from peripheral schwannomas by lacking a capsule, Verocay bodies, Antoni B areas, and thick‐walled vessels. They are characterized morphologically by poorly defined borders, cuffs of lymphoid tissue and a haphazard spindle cell proliferation. We present here the cytologic and histopathologic features of a gastric schwannoma. The tumor was composed of spindle cells with delicate eosinophilic cytoplasm and wavy nuclei, with an associated conspicuous lymphoid backdrop. The latter feature raised the possibility of a lymphoid lesion, a problem cytopathologists should be aware of. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:177–180.

Cytologic features in vitreous preparations of patients with suspicion of intraocular lymphoma

Intraocular lymphoma may occur, primarily with or without overt parenchymal CNS lymphoma or secondarily from a variety of other lymphomas. The diagnosis is frequently based on cytologic features and/or a limited panel of ancillary techniques.

Pulmonary Non-Small Cell Carcinoma with Morphologic Features of Adenocarcinoma or "non-Small Cell Carcinoma Favor Adenocarcinoma" in Cytologic Specimens Share Similar Clinical and Molecular Genetic Characteristics

Objectives Define if the presence of morphologic features of adenocarcinoma (ACA) in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) on cytology specimens correlates with clinical and biologic features. Methods A total of 209 cases of NSCLC diagnosed on fine-needle aspiration in a 3-year period were included. Results After morphologic review, the cases were classified as ACA (n = 115), NSCLC favor ACA (n = 43), and NSCLC-not otherwise specified (NOS) (n = 18). Squamous cell (SCC) (n = 14) and NSCLC favor SCC (n = 19) were excluded from further analysis. Patients with EGFR-mutated tumors had longer overall survival than those with EGFR wild-type tumors (P = .01). When comparing cases with morphologic features of ACA, NSCLC favor ACA, and NSCLC-NOS, there were no differences in the presence or absence of tested mutations, clinical stage, or survival. Conclusion Patients diagnosed with pulmonary ACA, NSCLC favor ACA, or NSCLC-NOS in cytology specimens have similar clinical stage, survival, and molecular alterations.

Molecular Genetic Alterations in Thyroid Transcription Factor 1-Negative Lung Adenocarcinoma in Cytology Specimens: A Subset With Aggressive Behavior and a Poor Prognosis: Molecular Alterations in TTF1-Negative Lung ADC

Patients with thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1)–negative pulmonary adenocarcinoma (ADC) have been reported to have a worse prognosis and to lack epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. This study describes a series of cytology specimens from patients with clinically confirmed pulmonary carcinoma negative for TTF1.