HER2/ Testing In 432 Consecutive Breast Cancer Cases using FISH and IHC - A Comparative Study.

Introduction: The development of trastuzumab, a HER-2/ targeted monoclonal antibody resulted in significant improvements in clinical response and survival in HER-2/ gene amplified group of patients. Thus, accurate assessment of HER-2/ status becomes critical. Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) are the most commonly used methods for this purpose and specific recommendations exist with regard to the concordance to be observed between the two tests.

Glioblastoma with signet ring cell morphology: A diagnostic challenge.

Glioblastoma (WHO Grade IV), the most frequent malignant brain tumor, can have varied morphologic variations like epithelial/glandular structures, granular cells, and lipidized cells. Glioblastoma with signet ring cell morphology is very unusual and can mimic a metastatic carcinoma. These rare tumors may be just a morphological variant or may signify a different carcinogenic pathway.

Genomic profiling in a homogeneous molecular subtype of non-small cell lung cancer: An effort to explore new drug targets.

Background: Patients' who are positive for kinase domain activating mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, constitute 30-40% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and are suitable candidates for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor based targeted/personalized therapy. In EGFR non-mutated subset, 8-10% that show molecular abnormalities such as EML4-ALK, ROS1-ALK, KIP4-ALK, may also derive the benefit of targeted therapy. However, 40% of NSCLC belong to a grey zone of tumours that are negative for the clinically approved biomarkers for personalized therapy.

Targeted Therapy Management in NSCLC Patients Using Cytology: Experience from a Tertiary Care Cancer Center.

Background: Although biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis, cytological material has often been used to assist in making a pathologic diagnosis as well as for molecular testing in certain cancers such as in the lung, cervix, and head/neck.

Objective: Our objective is to share experience from our institution in the use of cytological material in screening for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in a subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Fine needle aspirates, pleural effusion, cell blocks of 223 NSCLC patients, where cytology suggested malignancy were screened for EGFR mutation in exons 18-21 using Scorpion(®) ARMS real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology.

Evaluation of quality indicators in a laboratory supporting tertiary cancer care facilities in India.

Objective: To collect and tabulate errors and nonconformities in the preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical process phases in a diagnostic clinical laboratory that supports a super-specialty cancer center in India, and identify areas of potential improvement in patient services.

Methods: We collected data from our laboratory during a period of 24 months. Departments in the study included clinical biochemistry, hematology, clinical pathology, microbiology and serology, surgical pathology, and molecular pathology.

Chronic lymphoproliferative disorders at an Indian tertiary cancer centre - the panel sufficiency in the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Background: Flow cytometry has come to occupy the vanguard of the high through put diagnostic techniques that have been used to differentiate between various chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLPD). However, economic considerations have created the need for minimal consensus panels that can yield maximum information at reasonable costs.

Aims: To collect, analyse and correlate the morphologic, immunophenotypic, and the cytogenetic data from the cases of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders, which were diagnosed at an Indian speciality cancer centre.

Relationship between molecular markers and treatment response in a retrospective cohort of Indian patients with primary carcinoma of the larynx.

p53 Mutations and over expression have been shown to predict treatment response in head and neck cancer patients. Failure of organ sparing therapy has been attributed to cisplatin and radiotherapy resistance in carcinoma of the larynx patients. In this study, we evaluate the relationships between p53 over expression/mutations, bcl(2) expression and ploidy status in a retrospective cohort of responder and non-responder carcinoma of the larynx patients.