Advances in Anatomic Pathology

Our medical research library holds 6 studies published in Advances in Anatomic Pathology (2010–2023). Each entry links to the study's record on PubMed and, where there is one, to the publisher's page and a free full text. 6 have an abstract, the authors' own summary as PubMed records it: open "Abstract" to read it.

About the journal

• Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Published: 1994 to the present, United States
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1072-4109 (print), 1533-4031 (electronic)
• Absorbed: AJSP: Reviews & Reports
• Its record in the NLM Catalog

2020s

• Mesotheliomas in Children. E. Zambrano, A. Matoso, M. Reyes-Múgica. 2023;30(4):275-279. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Mesotheliomas are rare and aggressive tumors that originate from mesothelial cells. Although exceedingly rare, these tumors may occur in children. Different from adult mesotheliomas, however, environmental exposures particularly to asbestos do not appear to play a major role in mesotheliomas in children, in whom specific genetic rearrangements driving these tumors have been identified in recent years. These molecular alterations may increasingly offer opportunities for targeted therapies in the future, which may provide better outcomes for these highly aggressive malignant neoplasms.

  Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

• Pericardial Mesotheliomas. A.V. Arrossi. 2023;30(4):253-258. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Primary pericardial mesothelioma (PM) is a rare tumor arising from the mesothelial cells of the pericardium. It has an incidence of <0.05% and comprises <2% of all mesotheliomas; however, it is the most common primary malignancy of the pericardium. PM should be distinguished from secondary involvement by the spread of pleural mesothelioma or metastases, which are more common. Although data are controversial, the association between asbestos exposure and PM is less documented than that with other mesotheliomas. Late clinical presentation is common. Symptoms may be nonspecific but are usually related to pericardial constriction or cardiac tamponade, and diagnosis can be challenging usually requiring multiple imaging modalities. Echocardiography, computed tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance demonstrate heterogeneously enhancing thickened pericardium, usually encasing the heart, with findings of constrictive physiology. Tissue sampling is essential for diagnosis. Histologically, similar to mesotheliomas elsewhere in the body, PM is classified as epithelioid, sarcomatoid, or biphasic, with the biphasic type being the most common. Combined with morphologic assessment, the use of immunohistochemistry and other ancillary studies is helpful for distinguishing mesotheliomas from benign proliferative processes and other neoplastic processes. The prognosis of PM is poor with about 22% 1-year survival. Unfortunately, the rarity of PM poses limitations for comprehensive and prospective studies to gain further insight into the pathobiology, diagnosis, and treatment of PM.

  Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

2010s

• Recent Advances in the Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma: Focus on Approach in Challenging Cases and in Limited Tissue and Cytologic Samples. S. Monaco, M. Mehrad, S. Dacic. 2018;25(1):24-30. Review PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Mesothelial proliferations can be diagnostically challenging in small specimens, such as body fluid cytology and small tissue biopsies. A great morphologic challenge for pathologists is the separation of benign reactive mesothelial proliferations from malignant mesotheliomas. Reactive mesothelial proliferations may have histologic features that resemble malignancy including increased cellularity, cytologic atypia, and mitoses. Recent advances in mesothelioma genetics resulted in identification of BAP1 mutations and p16 deletions as features of malignant mesotheliomas. Hence, BAP1 immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization for p16 emerged as 2 most common diagnostically helpful ancillary studies used on limited samples when the question is whether the proliferation is malignant or benign. In contrast, separation of mesothelioma from other malignancies is relatively straight forward using morphology and immunohistochemical stains. The choice of antibody panel to be applied in an individual case is driven by morphology, either epithelioid or sarcomatoid. This brief review will focus on morphology and ancillary testing of mainly pleural mesothelial proliferations.

• Assessing Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Solid Tumors: A Practical Review for Pathologists and Proposal for a Standardized Method from the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers Working Group: Part 2: TILs in Melanoma, Gastrointestinal Tract Carcinomas, Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma and Mesothelioma, Endometrial and Ovarian Carcinomas, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck, Genitourinary Carcinomas, and Primary Brain Tumors. S. Hendry, R. Salgado, T. Gevaert, et al. 2017;24(6):311-335. Review PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

  Abstract

  Assessment of the immune response to tumors is growing in importance as the prognostic implications of this response are increasingly recognized, and as immunotherapies are evaluated and implemented in different tumor types. However, many different approaches can be used to assess and describe the immune response, which limits efforts at implementation as a routine clinical biomarker. In part 1 of this review, we have proposed a standardized methodology to assess tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in solid tumors, based on the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers Working Group guidelines for invasive breast carcinoma. In part 2 of this review, we discuss the available evidence for the prognostic and predictive value of TILs in common solid tumors, including carcinomas of the lung, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, gynecologic system, and head and neck, as well as primary brain tumors, mesothelioma and melanoma. The particularities and different emphases in TIL assessment in different tumor types are discussed. The standardized methodology we propose can be adapted to different tumor types and may be used as a standard against which other approaches can be compared. Standardization of TIL assessment will help clinicians, researchers and pathologists to conclusively evaluate the utility of this simple biomarker in the current era of immunotherapy.

• WT1 expression in the female genital tract. C. Bárcena, E. Oliva. 2011;18(6):454-65. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The Wilms tumor gene 1 (WT1) has been reported in normal tissues and many neoplasms of the female genital tract. This review discusses WT1 expression in the female genital tract and its potential utility in the differential diagnosis of neoplasms that occur at this location. WT1 is of value in the differential diagnosis of synchronous serous carcinomas arising in the ovary/fallopian tube/peritoneum and endometrium, as strong WT1 positivity in both tumors points toward an extrauterine origin. In addition, WT1 can be used to distinguish sex cord stromal tumors (WT1 positive) from endometrioid carcinomas (OECs). WT1 expression is not helpful in the differential diagnosis of ovarian serous carcinomas (OSCs) and transitional carcinomas, as both are typically positive and has limited value in the distinction of serous tumors arising in the ovary/fallopian tube/peritoneum from mesotheliomas. WT1 is also not helpful to differentiate small cell carcinoma of hypercalcemic type from juvenile granulosa cell tumor, a common diagnostic problem. Intra-abdominal desmoplastic round cell tumor reacts to WT1 (C-terminal) in contrast to all other tumors discussed which helps to separate this rare tumor from most other small round cell tumors that may involve, primarily or secondarily, the ovary with the exception of small cell carcinoma of hypercalcemic type that typically reacts with the N-terminal of WT1.

• Paratesticular mesothelioma. Report of a case with comprehensive review of literature. M. Bisceglia, D.B. Dor, I. Carosi, et al. 2010;17(1):53-70. Case report · Review PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Paratesticular mesotheliomas are rare tumors with 223 cases described so far. The sole plausible causative factor so far ascertained in the pathogenesis of these tumors is asbestos, which however is found in only around 30% to 40% of such cases. The age range of affected individuals is wide, mostly adults and the elderly, but also includes young people and children. The most common presenting symptom is either hydrocele of unknown origin or intrascrotal mass. When hydrocele is the presenting symptom, these tumors are often clinically overlooked and the diagnosis is delayed. Most paratesticular mesotheliomas arise in the tunica vaginalis, but primary tumors of the spermatic cord and epididymis are also on record. Tumors arising from the peritoneal mesothelium of a hernia sac are excluded from this group. The correct diagnosis is almost always made after histologic examination of the operative specimen. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy are always helpful and sometimes necessary tools for diagnosis. So far very few cases have been identified or suspected preoperatively on cytologic examination. Three clinicopathologic types of malignant mesotheliomas of the male genital tract are recognized: diffuse tubulo-papillary mesothelioma, well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma, and multicystic mesothelioma. The histologic subtypes are almost always pure epithelial or biphasic. The differential diagnosis is mainly with serous papillary tumors arising from Mullerian vestiges, but several diverse primary or secondary tumors also need to be considered. A clinicopathologic evaluation of a case of tunical diffuse mesothelioma in a 74-year-old male from the AMR Series is the starting point for this general review.

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