Using a higher cutoff for the percentage of HER2+ cells decreases interobserver variability in the interpretation of HER2 immunohistochemical analysis.

The effect of using a 30% cutoff for the proportion of HER2+ cells on the interobserver variability in the interpretation of HER2 immunohistochemical results was evaluated. Immunostained sections from 96 cases of breast carcinoma were reviewed by 10 pathologists and scored as positive (3+) when uniform strong membranous staining was identified in at least 10% of tumor cells; the actual percentage of cells with such staining was also estimated. The agreement rates and the kappa values using a 30% cutoff were compared with those using a 10% cutoff.

Aggressive osteoblastoma: a case report involving a unique chromosomal aberration.

Osteoblastomas are rare bone-producing neoplasms that generally occur in the young and can be misdiagnosed as an osteosarcoma if correlation with clinical history, radiology, and histology is not carefully considered or if the several variants of osteoblastoma are not recognized. These variants lie on a morphologic spectrum between conventional osteoblastoma and osteosarcoma. Aggressive osteoblastoma is one such subtype.

Expression of c-kit and platelet-derived growth factor receptors in ovarian granulosa cell tumors.

Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the expression of tyrosine kinase receptors c-kit, (platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFR-alpha), and PDGFR-beta in ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs).

Study Design: Primary ovarian GCT specimens were obtained for immunohistochemical staining.The expressions of c-kit, PDGFR-alpha, and PDGFR-beta were analyzed and scored by a semiquantitative (SQ) method.

Juxtacortical chondromyxoid fibroma of bone: a unique variant: a case study of 20 patients.

Background: Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is a rare neoplasm of the appendicular skeleton of young adults. We report 20 cases of a poorly recognized subtype which arises on the surface of long bones and erodes the cortical surface causing a periosteal reaction. This entity should be included in the differential diagnosis of bone surface lesions as it may be mistaken for a more aggressive neoplasm.

Mucinous expression in benign and neoplastic glandular lesions of the uterine cervix.

Context: Mucins are glycoproteins produced by both normal and neoplastic glandular epithelial cells including endocervix.

Objective: To determine the expression of mucins in uterine cervical glandular lesions and whether mucin expression correlates with the nature and origin of the glandular lesions.

Design: Antibodies to MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, and MUC5AC were applied on 52 cases including 14 endocervical adenocarcinomas (including 4 adenosquamous carcinomas), 9 endometrial carcinomas (8 endometrioid adenocarcinomas and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma), 8 adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), 2 glandular dysplasias, 6 tubal metaplasias, 10 microglandular hyperplasias, and 3 normal endocervix.