Cytologic diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor with paired prospective molecular genetic analysis.

Background: Ewing sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (EWS/PNET), since its characterization immunophenotypically and cytogenetically, has emerged as one of most common sarcomas of childhood. Currently, it is recognized that EWS/PNET can occur in any number of extraosseous sites and is one of several distinctive tumor types with an EWS translocation. In the past, the pathologic diagnosis of EWS/PNET relied on an open biopsy with the application of various ancillary studies, ranging from periodic acid-Schiff stain to molecular testing, but the tumor increasingly is diagnosed on the basis of cytologic specimens alone.

Expression of multiple human endogenous retrovirus surface envelope proteins in ovarian cancer.

Individual classes of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) genes and proteins are expressed in cancer, but expression of more than one type of HERV is rare. We report here the expression of multiple HERV genes and proteins in ovarian cell lines and tissues. Expression of HERV-K env mRNA was greater in ovarian epithelial tumors than in normal ovarian tissues (N = 254).

Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus DNA in nonkeratinizing (cylindrical cell) carcinoma of the sinonasal tract: a distinct clinicopathologic and molecular disease entity.

Carcinomas of the nose and paranasal sinuses are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that differ histologically, biologically, and clinically. Some of these tumors are known to harbor high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. In an attempt to identify specific phenotypes associated with HPV infection, 39 cases of sinonasal carcinomas were evaluated by PCR for the presence of HPV DNA.

Metachronous squamous cell carcinomas evolving from independent oropharyngeal and pulmonary squamous papillomas: association with human papillomavirus 11 and lack of aberrant p53, Rb, and p16 protein expression.

Squamous cell carcinoma evolving from squamous papilloma in both the upper and lower respiratory tract in the same patient is uncommon. The molecular mechanisms underlying the progression have not been well investigated. We herein describe a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising from respiratory papilloma in two independent occasions.

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA and expression of p16, Rb, and p53 proteins in small cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated as an etiologic agent for the development of primary small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, a rare but highly aggressive malignancy. It has been shown that the HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins are able to inactivate the tumor suppressor functions of p53 and Rb. In squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the cervix, HPV infection is also associated with overexpression of p16, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor.

ThinPrep evaluation of fluid samples aspirated from cystic ovarian masses.

The cytological evaluation of ovarian cystic fluid using ThinPrep has not been reported. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ThinPrep cytology in distinguishing between benign and nonbenign ovarian cystic lesions, we examined 65 fluid samples aspirated during intraoperative consultation with subsequent histologic correlation. One ThinPrep slide was prepared from each sample aspirated from surgically removed ovarian cystic masses and reviewed blindly by a panel of three cytopathologists.

Double cervix with bilateral and synchronous HSIL associated with different high-risk HPV types. A case report.

Background: High grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) of the cervix is well known to be associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HSIL and invasive carcinomas occurring synchronously in genital malformations, such as a double cervix, have been reported. It has been postulated that the field effect phenomenon of HPV infection is responsible for this synchronous infection.

Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in girls and women.

Objective: To estimate the outcome of adolescents with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) on cytology.

Methods: A review of ASC-US cytology in girls and women aged 10-19 years between 1995 and 1999 was performed. The cytologic and histologic follow-up of each patient was evaluated.

Overexpression of c-kit protein is an infrequent event in small cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix.

Primary small cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix are uncommon but highly aggressive malignancies. The recent observations that c-kit proto-oncogene, a tyrosine kinase, is overexpressed in small cell lung cancers and that advanced c-kit-expressing gastrointestinal stromal tumors were successfully treated with a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI-571 (Gleevec, imatinib mesylate) prompted us to investigate c-kit protein expression in cervical small cell carcinomas. Using a polyclonal antibody against c-kit protein (CD117), our immunohistochemical studies demonstrated a cytoplasmic staining in six of 22 cases (27%) of cervical small cell carcinoma.

Columnar cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Report of a case with cytologic findings.

Background: The columnar and tall cell variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) are uncommon variants and have generally been regarded as more aggressive forms in comparison to the more common classic papillary and follicular subtypes. Cytologic diagnosis of these rare variants is elusive since the characteristic nuclear features of the usual papillary thyroid carcinoma are very often absent or inconspicuous. We present a case of the columnar cell variant of PTC in a young woman that demonstrates the diagnostic challenge.

Prevalence and typing of HPV DNA in atypical squamous cells in pregnant women.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and typing of HPV DNA in pregnant women with a diagnosis of atypical squamous cells (ASC) and to assess whether pregnancy-related changes contribute to the diagnosis of ASC.

Study Design: HPV testing was performed on residual specimens from the ThinPrep Pap test (Cytyc Corp., Boxborough, Massachusetts, U.

Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography for detecting and typing genital human papillomavirus.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are important in the development of human cancers, including cervical and oral tumors. However, most existing methods for HPV typing cannot routinely distinguish among the more than 100 distinct types of HPV or the natural HPV intratypic variants that have also been documented. To address this problem, we developed a novel method, general primer-denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (GP-dHPLC), for the detection and typing of genital HPV using an automated 96-well plate format.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus type 16 DNA in squamous cell carcinoma of the palatine tonsil, and not the oral cavity, in young patients: a distinct clinicopathologic and molecular disease entity.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck commonly affects patients in their sixth decade and older, particularly those with a prolonged history of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Less frequently, carcinomas occur in young individuals even in the absence of known risk factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate a possible relationship between these tumors and human papilloma virus (HPV).

Low-grade vulvar and vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia: correlation of histologic features with human papillomavirus DNA detection and MIB-1 immunostaining.

Histologic criteria of low-grade vulvar/vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN1/VAIN1) are well established; however, a significant interobserver variability in diagnosing VIN1/VAIN1 has been reported. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of MIB-1 immunostaining as an adjunct test to increase the diagnostic accuracy in equivocal cases of VIN1/VAIN1. The second goal was to examine the distribution of low- and high-oncogenic risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in VIN1/VAIN1 lesions.

Expression of p16, Rb, and p53 proteins in squamous cell carcinomas of the anorectal region harboring human papillomavirus DNA.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated as an etiologic agent for the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the anorectal region. It has been shown that the HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins are able to inactivate the tumor suppressor functions of p53 and Rb. In cervical and head and neck cancers, HPV infection is also associated with an overexpression of p16, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor.

Detecting the expression of human endogenous retrovirus E envelope transcripts in human prostate adenocarcinoma.

Background: The expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) mRNA and proteins was associated recently with diseases that include human malignancies. The authors report that, in the current study, transcripts encoding the envelope region of an HERV family, HERV-E, were expressed in human prostate carcinoma.

Methods: RNA was isolated from various prostate tissues and was tested for the expression of various HERV envelope (env) genes by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, RNA in situ hybridization (ISH), and Northern blot analysis.

Quantitation of HERV-K env gene expression and splicing in human breast cancer.

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) comprise up to 8% of the human genome. In previous studies, we demonstrated that type 1 HERV-K envelope (env) transcripts are expressed in most human breast cancers, but not in normal breast tissues. In the current study, we report that type 2 HERV-K env transcripts are also present in human breast cancers.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration cytology of pancreatic carcinoma: a 3-year experience and review of the literature.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) of small pancreatic lesions that are undetectable by computed tomography has gained wide acceptance for the procurement of cells for diagnostic purposes. However, this technique is not without difficulty. The authors examined the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively) of this technique in the evaluation of patients with pancreatic biliary duct strictures/masses.

Quantitation of human papillomavirus 16 E6 and E7 DNA and RNA in residual material from ThinPrep Papanicolaou tests using real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Background: The detection of specific human papillomavirus 16 (HPV-16) E6 and E7 oncogene transcripts may be a sensitive indicator of the direct involvement of viral oncogenes in the development of cervical neoplasia and carcinoma. The goal of this study was to determine the potential clinical uses of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) methods for evaluating HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncogene expression.

Methods: ThinPrep cervical samples were tested for expression of oncogenes of HPV-16 by real-time PCR or RT-PCR analysis and were compared with detection of expression by conventional PCR and RT-PCR analysis.