Meenakshi Swain

Rosette-forming glioneuronal tumors: a report of two cases.

Rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor, a mixed glial and neuronal tumor, is a relatively new entity in tumors of the central nervous system, included in 2007 classification published by World Health Organization (WHO). It was initially described to occur in and around the fourth ventricle; however, recent case series have reported other locations also. Their occurrence in supratentorial and spinal locations has recently been reported. We report two cases of rosette-forming glioneuronal tumors, one in the midbrain and one in a suprasellar location, and review the literature.

A comparative study of cervical smears in an urban hospital in India and a population-based screening program in Mauritius.

OBJECTIVE To study cervical smear abnormalities in urban women in India and women in Mauritius and to compare the results in the two groups. STUDY DESIGN An analysis of 6010 cervical smears taken as part of routine check-ups in an urban hospital was done and an analysis of 10,000 cervical smears taken from women participating in a National Cancer Screening Program in Mauritius was done. Emphasis was put on cervical epithelial cell abnormalities and the results in the two populations are compared with that of similar studies in other parts of the world. RESULTS Non specific inflammation formed 19.6% and 25.34% of the smears in the Indian and Mauritian groups, respectively (with specific infection forming 6.05% and 15.08%). The epithelial abnormalities constituted 1.392% of the Indian group and 0.47% of the Mauritian group. The difference was statistically significant in the atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance (ASCUS) and atypical glandular cells of uncertain significance (AGUS) group. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) is similar to that in the developed world.

Gleason scoring of prostatic carcinoma: Impact of a web-based tutorial on inter- and intra-observer variability

A total of 40 cases of prostatic adenocarcinomas were scored independently by four pathologists using the Gleason scoring system. After attending a web-based tutorial, the scoring was repeated by all. Consensus scores were obtained by simultaneous viewing of each case in a multihead microscope by all four pathologists. The scores were then compared. The pretutorial kappa (kappa) values ranged from 0.36 to 0.64 with an average of 0.459. After the tutorial, the kappa values ranged from 0.44 to 0.678 with the average kappa value increasing to 0.538, thus indicating an improvement in the agreement. The intraobserver agreement ranged from 0.435 to 0.788. We conclude that web-based tutorials with emphasis on images developed by experts serve to achieve an uniformity in reporting.

Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS): A case report and review of literature

Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is a recently described inflammatory disease of central nervous system with distinct clinical and radiological features. The etiopathogenesis of this rare entity remains to be understood. The histopathological findings closely resemble chronic inflammatory diseases like sarcoidosis and malignancies like lymphoma. With advancements in serology, immunopathology and radiology CLIPPERS is identified as a distinct entity that differs considerably in its clinical presentation, immunopathology, radiological findings and response to steroids. We describe a case that presented to us with progressive quadriparesis and lower cranial nerve deficits whose radiological and pathological findings were consistent with CLIPPERS. The patient had a good outcome with long term immunosuppression.

Renal cortical necrosis in tropics

The aim of this study is to review cases of renal cortical necrosis (RCN) that were seen on renal biopsy at our center over a period of seven years. All renal biopsy records over seven years at the Osmania General Hospital were reviewed to identify patients with histologically proven RCN. The demographic, clinical, laboratory investigations and follow-up data were noted. There were a total of 105 patients with RCN. The mean age was 28.13 ± 12.40 years. Forty-one cases (39.04%) resulted from obstetric complications. The most common histology type of RCN was patchy cortical necrosis in 65 patients (62%). All patients required dialysis, and the mean duration of dialysis was 3 ± 1 weeks. Thirty-three (31.42%) patients progressed to end-stage kidney disease while three patients underwent renal transplantation. Ten (9.5%) patients succumbed to acute kidney injury. The remaining patients recovered sufficient renal function and were dialysis-independent till the last follow-up. RCN is an important cause of chronic kidney disease. Obstetric complications are the leading cause of RCN in our setting. An early renal biopsy, especially in cases of anuric renal failure, helps in establishing the diagnosis.

Triage of Women Testing Positive With the careHPV Test on Self-Collected Vaginal Samples for Cervical Cancer Screening in a Low-Resource Setting

Purpose Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA screening reduces cervical cancer incidence and mortality in low-resource settings. Self-collected vaginal samples tested with affordable HPV tests such as careHPV can increase the rate of screening in resource-constrained settings. We report the role of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) as a triage test for women testing positive with the careHPV test on self-collected vaginal samples. Methods As part of a multicountry demonstration study, 5,207 women 30 to 49 years of age were recruited from urban slums to undergo four cervical screening tests using the careHPV test on self-collected vaginal samples, provider-collected cervical samples, the Papanicolaou test, and VIA. All women who tested positive for any of the screening tests were evaluated with colposcopy and guided biopsies, followed by treatment if any cervical lesions were detected. The data from the 377 women who tested positive for HPV in the self-collected vaginal samples were also analyzed to assess the performance of VIA, conventional cytology, and colposcopy, as triage tests in the detection of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. Results Nineteen percent of women who tested positive for vaginal HPV (V-HPV) also tested positive with the VIA test; cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ lesions were detected in 58% of these women. In the 30 % of the women who tested positive for V-HPV with cytology triage, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ lesions were detected in 80% of these women. The colposcopy referrals for women who tested positive for V-HPV were reduced from 7.6% to 1.5% by VIA triage, and to 2.3% by cytology triage. Although the sensitivity was reduced, the positive predictive value improved after triage with VIA and cytology. Conclusion This study reflects the optimal role of VIA triaging for treatment selection of lesions among those who test positive for V-HPV in screen and treat screening programs that use an HPV test in low-resource settings.

Benign Ovarian Edema Masquerading as Malignancy: A Case Report

Benign massive ovarian edema (MOE) is a rare clinical finding described in anecdotal case reports [1]. It presents clinically as an enlargement of the ovary. The mass is of variable size resulting from accumulation of fluid within ovarian stroma. It poses a stiff clinical challenge to practitioners as it can masquerade any ovarian malignancy [2]. There is no pathognomonic or diagnostic feature differentiating it from other solid ovarian masses clinically or by imaging. Hence, the specific diagnosis is only made on histopathology.

Postradiation angiosarcoma of bladder with extensive osseous metaplasia.

Angiosarcomas are rare soft tissue neoplasms accounting for <2% of all sarcomas. Rare cases have been reported in other sites like breast, spleen, liver, bone and bladder. This is a case report of an angiosarcoma of the bladder in a 65 year old lady who came with complaints of haematuria. Ultrasonography and computerized tomography revealed a bladder tumour with calcification, which on cystoscopy also showed a calcified mass. The patient had a past history of carcinoma cervix for which she had undergone surgery and radiotherapy, 22 years ago. Biopsy of the bladder mass showed features of a high grade epithelioid sarcoma with extensive osseous metaplasia. On immune stains,the tumour was positive for CD31 and vimentin and negative for cytokeratin, desmin and CD34. Until now, only sixteen cases of angiosarcoma of the bladder have been reported in english literature, of which 6 occurred secondary to radiation. Our case is the first to occur after 22 years of radiotherapy and have extensive osseous metaplasia.

Assessment of 1p/19q deletion by flourescence insitu hybridization (FISH) in glioma patients from Andhrapradesh

Background Oligodendroglial tumors represent approximately 4-7% of all gliomas, however, in some series the incidence has been reported to be as high as 10-20% due to improved histological appreciation and recently recognized molecular signatures. The discovery of 1p and 19q chromosomal arms deletion in glial tumors influences both more objective diagnosis and more accurate prediction of chemotherapy response. As a result an attempt has been made to detect deletion using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and to determine its prognostic value in a cohort of glial tumor patients from Andhra pradesh.

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma in a case of carcinoma cervix

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is an uncommon extra nodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounting for less than 1% of all NHLs known to have an aggressive course, with no well-defined treatment protocols. A 42-year-old lady, operated five months earlier for a squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix presented with pain and induration of the lower part of the anterior abdominal wall; 3 months after completing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. FNAC done, yielded scanty material and was inconclusive. The biopsy showed features of a subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma. While on chemotherapy she developed a vault recurrence and extensive intra-abdominal spread of the squamous cell carcinoma and succumbed. SPTCL is a rare entity and has been reported in renal and cardiac allograft recipients and in one case of ovarian carcinoma. Its occurrence in the setting of carcinoma cervix is unusual, hence is being reported.