Vibha Dutta

Role of NF-κB in the pathogenesis of psoriasis elucidated by its staining in skin biopsy specimens.

NF‐κB is a transcription factor belonging to the Re1 family, and it regulates the activity of a large number of proinflammatory genes. Its role in psoriasis, which is a prototype chronic inflammatory disease, is therefore expected to be considerable. It has been found that many of the triggering factors for psoriasis initiate inflammation by activation of NF‐κB.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma: A diagnostic challenge !

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a spindle cell neoplasm of histiocytic-dendritic cells origin. It is known to occur in lymph nodes and rarely has been reported in extranodal tissues like head and neck, mediastinum and gastrointestinal tract. We herein report the first FDCS arising from anal canal in a 56-year-old man. The tumor was composed of bland short spindle cells in focal whorl formation with interspersed few lymphocytes. The tumor cells were classically positive for CD21, CD23, CD35 and vimentin. Despite its misleading morphology, immunohistochemistry helped us to reach a conclusive diagnosis for relevant therapy.

Primary mucinous carcinoma of eyelid: a rare clinical entity.

Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma of the eyelid, a rare pathologic entity, is an adenocarcinoma of the eccrine glands. Though it has low metastatic potential, it does have a significant recurrence rate. We present the occurrence, clinical and histological features, and management of this tumor in a 62-year-old male who presented with a recurrent, firm, nodular left lower lid lesion. He underwent excision with a 5 mm margin and the defect was repaired with a Mustardes cheek rotation flap. A full oncological screening, including whole-body Positron Emission Tomography scan, excluded the presence of primary mucinous carcinoma elsewhere and any metastatic spread. This case underscores the importance of considering this tumor in recalcitrant eyelid lesions and highlights the pathology of this tumor.

Morphometric study of microvessels in primary CNS tumors and its correlation with tumor types and grade

INTRODUCTION Alterations of microvasculature are integral to CNS neoplasia, and a diagnostic feature of high-grade gliomas. The objectives of this study were two fold: First, to correlate morphometrically measured microvessel density (MVD), microvessel caliber (VC), and percentage of total microvessel area (%TVA) with WHO histologic grade in various types of primary CNS tumors. Second, to evaluate if such a correlation could be further refined by using mathematical derivatives of measured parameters namely coefficient of variation of VC (COofVC), microvessel cross-sectional area (VCSA), and percentage of total VCSA (%TVCSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS Various microvessel parameters were assessed in a variety of 30 primary CNS tumors as consecutively encountered in routine surgical pathology practice including gliomas, meningiomas and others by image morphometry using CD34-immunostained sections. We introduced a novel method of effectively determining VC. Results were correlated with tumor type and grade. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS Microvessel characteristics, especially VC (p<0.0022), VCSA (p<0.0164), CVofVC (p<0.0001), %TVCSA (p<0.0002) and %TVA (p<0.0003) of tumors were significantly greater than normal tissue. MVD increased in all tumors, excepting meningiomas, and was significantly higher in gliomas (p<0.0062). MVD showed negative correlation with VC (r=-0.808) and VCSA (r=-0.848) in the normal brain but was less significant in tumors. Unlike tumors, caliber distribution of microvessels in normal brain was noted to follow a Gaussian pattern. Histological grades of tumors showed positive correlation with MVD (r=0.547), VC (r=0.606), CVofVC (r=0.623), VCSA (r=0.485), %TVCSA (r=0.783) and %TVA (r=0.603). Calculated scores, estimated from multiple regressions of vessel parameters, correlated well with histological grade, with S2 (calculated using all measured as well as mathematically derived microvessel parameters) being better than S1 (calculated using measured parameters: MVD and VC). CONCLUSION Tumor grades positively correlated with all microvessel parameters, with %TVCSA displaying the best. The correlation of %TVA with tumor grade was weaker than %TVCSA mainly due to the impact of MVD. These findings emphasize the value of VC as effectively measured using our novel method and best illustrated by its derivative %TVCSA (an indicator of blood flow), in addition to the well-recognized value of MVD in tumor prognostication. Multiple regressions of microvessel parameters provided the best correlation with grade. Morphometric analysis of microvessels in CNS tumor facilitates a better understanding of the tumor grade, tumor progression and overall prognosis.

ALK negative inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the orbit:A masquerading entity

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a biologically distinct neoplasm of intermediate grade, which can affect every possible tissue of the human body. It is a ‘masquerading tumor’ as the presenting complaints vary with the affected site. Occurrence of this tumor as an orbital mass is rare and is challenging for both the clinician as well as the pathologist, due to a varied number of lesions sharing a similar picture clinically and histologically. We discuss a rare case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor presenting as an orbital mass and the importance of immunohistochemistry in arriving at the diagnosis, which helps dictate the treatment and prognosis of the patient.

Diagnostic utility of p63 and α-methyl acyl Co A racemase in resolving suspicious foci in prostatic needle biopsy and transurethral resection of prostate specimens

AIM OF THE STUDY The objective is to assess the utility of the p63 and α-methylacyl CoA racemase (AMACR) in resolving suspicious foci in prostatic needle biopsy and transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 470 cases are selected. These included 310 TURP specimens, 157 needle biopsies and 03 radical prostatectomy specimens. All the cases are reviewed and divided into three categories. Benign (370), cases with suspicious foci (40 cases) and malignant (60 cases). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was carried out using monoclonal AMACR and p63 antibodies in the 40 suspicious cases along with positive and negative controls. RESULTS This study showed AMACR had a sensitivity of 95%, specificity of 92.5%, whereas p63 had a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 100%. All the 40 suspicious cases were resolved using a combination of morphology and IHC expression p63 and AMACR. In 13 (32.5%), of the 40 suspicious cases there was change of diagnosis based of morphology, clinical details and staining with p63 and AMACR, In the 11 cases (11/40), diagnosis was changed from the benign to malignant. In one case benign to high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (1/40) and in one case from malignant to benign (1/40). This change was statistically significant with P value of 0.013. CONCLUSIONS Combination of p63 and AMACR is of great additional value in combating the morphologically suspicious cases and should be used on case to case basis especially in prostatic needle biopsies and small foci lesions.

Is necropsy obsolete - An audit of the clinical autopsy over six decades: A study from Indian sub continent

INTRODUCTION Several studies have documented a decrease in the autopsy rate. This study was taken up to analyse the cause of mortality, the discrepancies between the ante mortem and post mortem diagnosis and the discrepancies between diagnoses according to the type of the disease over a period of six decades. MATERIALS AND METHODS Autopsy reports and medical records were retrospectively analyzed over a 63 year period from 1947 to 2010. RESULTS In our study, there was a steady increase in the percentage of neoplastic cases from 1947 to 1994 after which there has been a significant drop. The cases dying due to infection has also shown a steady decline over the years until 1994. After 1994, there has been a significant increase in the deaths until 2010 (p < 0.05). Death due to cardiac causes has shown an increase until 1962 which has been followed by a steady decline. There has been a sudden rise in the number of cases dying due to renal causes between 1994 and 2000 (p < 0.05). There has been a statistically significant decrease in the discrepancies between the ante mortem and the post mortem diagnosis over the years. DISCUSSION This study shows that therapeutic and preventive measures correctly instituted have significantly reduce the mortality, particularly with reference to cardiac and infectious causes. The discrepancy between antemortem and post-mortem diagnosis in 2010 is still very high at 9.30 percent. The autopsy will continue to remain relevant especially in elucidating the molecular cause of disease.

Adrenal Haemangioblastoma Presenting as Phaeochromocytoma: A Rare Manifestation of Extraneural Hemangioblastoma

PurposeAdrenal haemangioblastoma presenting clinically as pheochromocytoma is a rare manifestation of extraneural haemangioblastoma. We present an unusual case of von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease that had adrenal and cerebellar haemangioblastoma with multiple renal cysts, and a review of the literature.MethodsUnlike the usual manifestations of secondary polycythemia or increased intracranial pressure and hydrocephalus due to cerebellar lesion, this 36-year-old male presented with hypertension. Investigations revealed right suprarenal mass with raised urinary catecholamines and serum vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) levels, apparently confirming the clinical diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma.ResultsHistopathology of the biopsy specimen showed features of haemangioblastoma, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry using antibodies to neuron specific enolase and aquaporin-1. Based on this, the patient was screened for possible features of VHL, which revealed cerebellar haemangioblastoma and multiple renal cysts with angiomatous lesion. Postoperative follow-up showed normal levels of catecholamines without any symptoms of phaeochromocytoma.ConclusionsAdrenal haemangioblastoma is a rare entity with only four cases reported in the literature. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice. However, screening for other possible features of VHL, even in the absence of clinical features, is essential to exclude other potential lesions.

Xanthogranulomatous appendicitis: Uncommon histological variant of a common entity.

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation (XGI) is a rare form of chronic inflammation characterized histologically by presence of high number of foamy histiocytes admixed with lymphocytes and plasma cells, first reported in the genitourinary tract.1 It can involve any organ, but the most common sites are kidney and gallbladder.2,3 Although acute appendicitis is a very common surgical condition, xanthogranulomatous appendicitis is a rare phenomenon. Only few cases have been reported so far in the literature in which XGI involved the appendix and the patient presented as a case of acute appendicitis. Xanthogranulomatous appendicitis may mimic a locally advanced cancer but has a benign course, and can be cured by surgical resection.4 Due to the rarity of this condition, we report a case of xanthogranulomatous appendicitis in 21-year-old lady, who presented with acute pain abdomen and operated as a case of an acute appendicitis.

Triple protozoal enteropathy of the small intestine in an immunocompromised male: A rare histopathology report

Enteric protozoan parasites remain the most commonly encountered parasitic diseases in HIV infected patients. Opportunistic protozoal infections that infect GIT most commonly and cause diarrhea in HIV-infected patients are cryptosporidium parvum, microsporidia and Isospora belli. Developing an infection with enteric protozoan parasites is dependent on absolute CD4+ cell counts, with lower counts associated with more severe, more atypical disease, and a greater risk of disseminated disease. We present histopathological features in a patient, where all three parasitic infections co-existed in HIV infected patient, who was under antitubercular therapy in addition to antiretroviral therapy and herpes zoster infection being treated by acyclovir.