Low saliva pH can yield false positives results in simple RT-LAMP-based SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests.

Diagnosis of any infectious disease is vital for opportune treatment and to prevent dissemination. RT-qPCR tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19, are ideal in a hospital environment. However, mass testing requires cheaper and simpler tests, especially in settings that lack sophisticated machinery.

Genomic and immunohistochemical analysis in human adrenal cortical neoplasia reveal beta-catenin mutations as potential prognostic biomarker.

Evaluation for malignancy of the adrenal cortex, adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC), is a challenge in surgical pathology due to its relative rarity and histologic overlap with its benign counterpart, adrenocortical adenoma (ACA). We characterized a cohort of human ACC and ACA, including a molecular screen, with a goal of identifying potential diagnostic adjuncts. Thirty-six cases of ACC underwent histologic and clinical review.

Diagnosis and successful surgical management of posterior nutcracker syndrome in a patient with loin pain hematuria.

The syndrome of loin pain hematuria in the absence of stones is poorly understood but must be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with clinical manifestations resembling nephrolithiasis. A 22-year-old white female with a 4-year history of left flank pain and hematuria underwent an extensive workup with normal renal ultrasound and cystourethroscopies. CT scan and MRI revealed a retro-aortic left renal vein.

Activation of PI3K signaling in Merkel cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine tumor, often metastatic at presentation, for which current chemotherapeutic regimens are largely ineffective. As its pathogenesis is still unknown, we hypothesized that deregulation of signaling pathways commonly activated in cancer may contribute to MCC tumorigenesis and may provide insights into targeted therapy approaches for this malignancy.

Experimental Design: We retrospectively profiled 60 primary MCC samples using a SNaPshot-based tumor genotyping assay to screen for common mutations in 13 cancer genes.

Malignant neurocristic hamartoma: a tumor distinct from conventional melanoma and malignant blue nevus.

Neurocristic hamartomas are rare pigmented lesions comprised of melanocytes, Schwann cells, and pigmented dendritic spindle cells that involve the skin and soft tissue. Malignant transformation can rarely arise within neurocristic hamartomas. Up to date, there has been only 1 series of 7 cases of malignant neurocristic hamartomas (MNHs), with 3 cases that developed metastases.

BRAF V600E mutations are common in pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is low-grade glial neoplasm principally affecting children and young adults. Approximately 40% of PXA are reported to recur within 10 years of primary resection. Upon recurrence, patients receive radiation therapy and conventional chemotherapeutics designed for high-grade gliomas.

A potential role for targeted therapy in a subset of metastasizing adnexal carcinomas.

Metastasizing adnexal carcinomas are rare; thus, currently there is no uniform treatment guideline. Chemotherapeutic drugs that selectively target cancer-promoting pathways may complement conventional therapeutic approaches. We performed immunohistochemistry (epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), HER2, and CD117), EGFR and ERBB2 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and multiplexed SNaPshot® genotyping (testing for recurrent mutations in 15 cancer genes including BRAF, EGFR, KRAS, PIK3CA, and TP53) on primary tumors and corresponding metastases of 14 metastasizing adnexal carcinomas (three apocrine, six eccrine, two hidradenocarcinomas, two porocarcinomas, and one aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma).