NILM Pap slides from women 30 years of age and older with positive high-risk HPV DNA. Focused rescreening prior to report issuance, an enhanced quality control measure.

Objectives: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA '88) regulations specify that at least 10% of negative Papanicolaou (Pap) slides be rescreened as a quality control (QC) measure. With incorporation of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing into screening guidelines for women aged 30 years or older, a population of patients exists who are HPV positive as well as negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM).

Methods: In this 9-month retrospective review with follow-up, 26,501 women 30 years of age and older underwent liquid-based Pap screening with concomitant high-risk HPV DNA testing at CellNetix Pathology and Laboratories, Seattle, WA.

Focused rescreening of NILM Pap slides from women ≥ 30 years of age with positive high risk HPV DNA: an enhanced quality control measure.

CLIA 88 regulations specify that at least 10% of negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) Paps be rescreened as a means of quality control (QC). With the incorporation of HPV DNA testing into American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology guidelines for women ≥ 30 years of age, a population of NILM patients with positive HPV results exists. Slides from this cohort were rescreened to judge the value of focused QC.

Impact and outcomes of routine microstaging of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer: significance of the pN0(i+) and pN1mi categories.

Background: In 2003, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) initiated the 6th edition staging criteria, including pN0(i+) and pN1mi categories for breast cancer. However, the clinical significance of these categories is debated in the literature.

Methods: A prospective registry was used to identify patients staged with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy.

The utility of intraoperative evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer.

Background: In breast cancer treatment, intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) evaluation is used to identify patients who may potentially benefit from immediate completion of axillary lymph node dissection.

Methods: Prospectively collected breast cancer registry data identified 516 SLN biopsies between January 2003 and December 2005. Intraoperative evaluation (IE) of the SLNs was performed in 479 axillae.

Accuracy of intraoperative imprint cytology of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer.

Background: In breast cancer treatment, immediate completion of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be performed if the intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) examination is positive. This study evaluates the accuracy of intraoperative imprint cytology (IC) for detecting SLN metastases.

Methods: Pathology reports from 385 SLN biopsy examinations were reviewed retrospectively.

Metaplastic breast cancer: clinical significance.

Background: Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare poorly differentiated breast cancer characterized by coexistence of ductal carcinoma with areas of matrix producing, spindle-cell, sarcomatous, or squamous differentiation; ER/PR/HER2 negativity; and a reputation for poor outcome.

Methods: The Swedish Cancer Institute prospective breast cancer database (> 6500 patients; 1990-2005) has 24 MBC cases that were compared with typical breast cancer cases matched for age, date of diagnosis, stage, and ER/PR/HER2 status.

Results: The mean metaplastic primary tumor diameter was 2.

Image-guided tissue sampling: where radiology meets pathology.

Image-guided breast tissue sampling has become an acceptable alternative to open surgical biopsy for nonpalpable lesions. Advantages of minimally invasive core biopsy compared to open surgical biopsy include lower cost, lower complication rates, and less cosmetic deformity for patients. However, false-negative core biopsies can occur.