Impact of antiretroviral drugs on PD-L1 expression and copy number gains with clinical outcomes in HIV-positive and -negative locally advanced cervical cancers.

Cervical cancer has become a leading cause of death in both HIV-infected and uninfected women. Previous studies have revealed that antiretroviral therapy (ART) possesses anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) and antitumour properties, potentially serving as an anticancer agent and improving functional immunity in HIV-positive individuals. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have examined the association between ART and the clinical outcome of patients with pre-existing invasive cervical cancer.

Prognostic significance of PD-L1 protein expression and copy number gains in locally advanced cervical cancer.

Background: Although immune checkpoint inhibitors against programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) have demonstrated promising results in several solid malignancies, including cervical cancer, there are some limitations to using PD-L1 immunohistochemical expression as a predictive biomarker for selecting patients who may benefit from such therapy.

Objective: To examine the protein expression and genetic status of PD-L1 with clinical outcomes in locally advanced cer- vical cancer.

Methods: We investigated the PD-L1 gene copy number gains assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and PD-L1 expression using immunohistochemistry in 123 patients with locally advanced cervical cancers between December 2008 and December 2016.

HISTOPLASMOSIS MYOSITIS: A CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW.

Disseminated histoplasmosis is an AIDS-defining illness that can affect multiple organ systems. Myositis due to histoplasmosis is rare in HIV infected patients. We report here an HIV-infected patient who presented with myositis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum.

Metanephric stromal tumor with unusual heterologous adipose differentiation: a case report and literature review.

A 10-year-old Thai boy with a metanephric stromal tumor (MST) with unusual adipose differentiation is reported. It has been described that the heterologous tissue element including fat is exceptionally demonstrated in MST cases. Multifocal grossly detected intratumoral adipose tissue as shown in this present case has not been elucidated and illustrated before.

Her-2/neu amplification determined by real-time quantitative PCR and its association with clinical outcome of breast cancer in Thailand.

HER-2/neu has been found to be amplified or overexpressed in about 20-30% of breast cancers, in association with negative prognosticators and shortened survival. Determination of HER-2/neu status in breast-cancer patients, to select for adjuvant treatment with trastuzumab, is becoming standard breast-cancer clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate HER-2/neu status in breast-cancer by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), allowing accurate and precise quantification of HER-2/neu amplification in tumor tissues.

Human papilloma virus prevalence, genotype distribution, and pattern of infection in Thai women.

Background: The pattern of infection in cervical lesions with respect to HPV subtype has not been systematically studied in Thai women. The aim here was to determine HPV prevalence, genotype, and infection pattern in cervical lesions and to estimate the potential efficacy of an HPV prophylactic vaccine.

Design: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical tissue blocks of 410 Thai patients from 8 institutes in 4 regions of Thailand (northern, southern, north-eastern, and central) were studied.

Interobserver reproducibility in determining p16 overexpression in cervical lesions : use of a combined scoring method.

Objectives: To evaluate interobserver reproducibility of a combined scoring method for immunohistochemical interpretation of p16 overexpression in cervical lesions.

Materials And Methods: p16 immunostaining was performed in cervical samples from 183 patients, including 69 normal, 42 low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions(LSIL), 36 high grade SIL (HSIL), and 36 squamous cell carcinomas(SCCAs). Each case was evaluated by a combined scoring method based on the percentage of positive cells (score 0-3), the intensity of staining (score 0-3), and the distribution pattern (score 0-2).

A two-phase study model for the standardization of HER2 immunohistochemical assay on invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Objectives: To develop and verify a standardized protocol for HER2 immunohistochemical assays on invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast in Thailand.

Material And Method: A two-phase study approach was employed. In the Phase One, after verifying the proposed protocol that adopted the HercepTest procedure using readily available primary antibodies, CB11 and A0485, Lab 1 performed the HER2 immunohistochemical staining for 137 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma twice with two types of the antibody.

Biologic markers in ductal carcinoma in situ and concurrent infiltrating carcinoma. A comparison of eight contemporary grading systems.

The relevance of 8 contemporary classification and grading systems for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast was examined in 100 tumors by comparing DCIS grade with grade of the concurrent infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC). Besides tumor size and nodal status, the immunohistochemical parameters in both lesions were compared, including estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, c-erbB-2 protein, E-cadherin, vimentin, Ki-67 (MIB1), and p27. Nuclear grading of DCIS alone or in combination with architectural pattern and necrosis showed the best correlation with grade of the invasive component.

Immunostaining of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, MIB1 antigen, and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in cytologic specimens: a simplified method with formalin fixation.

An effective but simple fixation protocol for the immunocytochemical staining of cytologic smears for estrogen and progesterone receptors, the Ki-67 antigen (using MIB1 antibody), and c-erbB-2 protein is described. One hundred twenty-seven smears from a variety of malignant and benign breast lesions showed good preservation of antigenicity when subjected to the following fixation protocol: Freshly made smears were air-dried for 20 min to 14 h at 22 degrees C before immersing in 10% buffered formalin for 2-14 h. Immunostaining followed microwave-stimulated epitope retrieval.

Immunostaining of cell preparations: a comparative evaluation of common fixatives and protocols.

Immunostaining of cytologic preparations has been beset by problems of inconsistency, high background staining, and the requirement of different fixatives for different antigens. This study sought to identify a universal fixative and a simple fixation protocol suitable for a wide range of tissue antigens commonly employed for cytologic diagnosis. In an analysis of 23 fixation protocols involving acetone, acetone/methanol, acetone/formalin, glutaraldehyde, ethanol, methanol, and formal saline, fixation in 0.

A comparative study of cell proliferation markers in breast carcinomas.

Aims-To investigate the tumour cell proliferative index obtained by immunostaining of paraffin wax sections of 30 cases of breast carcinoma with monoclonal antibodies MIB1, KiS1 and KiS5, and polyclonal Ki67 antisera to the Ki67 antigen and 19A2 and PC10 antibodies to proliferating cell nuclear antigen and the possible correlation between these indices and that of monoclonal Ki67 antibody in frozen sections of the same tumours.Methods-All tumour samples had been uniformly fixed and processed and sections were subjected to microwave antigen retrieval before immunostaining in all instances except for monoclonal Ki67 antibody which was used in cryostat sections. Tumour cell proliferative indices were evaluated by two independent examiners, each counting 500 tumour cells with the aid of a cross-hatched grid.