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Human Pathology Feb 2021Mesonephric carcinomas (MEs) and female adnexal tumors of probable Wolffian origin (FATWO) are derived from embryologic remnants of Wolffian/mesonephric ducts....
Mesonephric carcinomas (MEs) and female adnexal tumors of probable Wolffian origin (FATWO) are derived from embryologic remnants of Wolffian/mesonephric ducts. Mesonephric-like carcinomas (MLCs) show identical morphology to ME of the cervix but occur in the uterus and ovary without convincing mesonephric remnants. ME, MLC, and FATWO are challenging to diagnose due to their morphologic similarities to Müllerian/paramesonephric tumors, contributing to a lack of evidence-based and tumor-specific treatments. We performed whole-proteomic analysis on 9 ME/MLC and 56 endometrial carcinomas (ECs) to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers. Although there were no convincing differences between ME and MLC, 543 proteins showed increased expression in ME/MLC relative to EC. From these proteins, euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2), glutathione S-transferase Mu 3 (GSTM3), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 2 (EEF1A2), and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta were identified as putative biomarkers. Immunohistochemistry was performed on these candidates and GATA3 in 14 ME/MLC, 8 FATWO, 155 EC, and normal tissues. Of the candidates, only GATA3 and EHMT2 were highly expressed in mesonephric remnants and mesonephric-derived male tissues. GATA3 had the highest sensitivity and specificity for ME/MLC versus EC (93% and 99%) but was absent in FATWO. EHMT2 was 100% sensitive for ME/MLC & FATWO but was not specific (65%). Similarly, EEF1A2 was reasonably sensitive to ME/MLC (92%) and FATWO (88%) but was the least specific (38%). GSTM3 performed intermediately (sensitivity for ME/MLC and FATWO: 83% and 38%, respectively; specificity 67%). Although GATA3 remained the best diagnostic biomarker for ME/MLC, we have identified EHMT2, EEF1A2, and GSTM3 as proteins of interest in these cancers. FATWO's cell of origin is uncertain and remains an area for future research.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Female; Glutathione Transferase; Histocompatibility Antigens; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; Humans; Mesonephroma; Peptide Elongation Factor 1; Proteomics
PubMed: 33121982
DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2020.10.005 -
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory... Dec 2017- Cervical adenocarcinomas span a diverse group of tumors with several distinct histologic tumor types, which include endocervical, endometrioid, intestinal,... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
- Cervical adenocarcinomas span a diverse group of tumors with several distinct histologic tumor types, which include endocervical, endometrioid, intestinal, villoglandular, gastric, signet ring, serous, clear cell, and mesonephric. Diagnosis of cervical adenocarcinoma, especially early diagnosis, poses a significant challenge.
OBJECTIVE
- To review the pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, immunohistochemical markers, and differential diagnosis of various subtypes of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative cervical adenocarcinomas. The paper presents a concise summary of the issues that may be particularly difficult in histopathologic diagnosis, such as differentiating neoplastic lesions from benign mimics, determining the tumor type, differentiating early invasive lesions from adenocarcinoma in situ, measuring the depth of invasion, and, finally, differentiating primary cervical adenocarcinoma from uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma and tumors metastatic from other primary sites.
DATA SOURCES
- The study employed a PubMed search of recently published reports.
CONCLUSIONS
- Early detection of HPV-positive tumor types may be aided with the expansion of HPV testing; however, early diagnosis of HPV-negative cervical adenocarcinomas will continue to pose a challenge and may require the development of additional molecular testing techniques.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Endometrioid; Diagnosis, Differential; Early Detection of Cancer; Endometrial Neoplasms; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Papillomaviridae; Papillomavirus Infections; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
PubMed: 28644686
DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2016-0356-RA -
Pathology Oct 2022
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous; Humans
PubMed: 35183354
DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2021.11.012 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jul 2023Mesonephric adenocarcinoma (MA) of the vagina is a rare tumor that arises from mesonephric remnants (Wolffian) in the female genital tract. It is a neoplasm with no... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Mesonephric adenocarcinoma (MA) of the vagina is a rare tumor that arises from mesonephric remnants (Wolffian) in the female genital tract. It is a neoplasm with no significant evidence about its diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and prognosis.
METHODS
Systematic research of the literature was conducted in Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane Library, including observational prospective and retrospective studies, case series and case reports. We collected data regarding studies related to diagnosis and treatment options evaluating the following aspects: study design, population, treatment type, rate of surgical complications and fertility outcome. We further included a case report of laparoscopic management of MA with pictorial assays.
RESULTS
Thirteen cases of MA of the vagina are available in the literature, including our case report. The median age at diagnosis was 52 years old; the majority of patients reported vaginal bleeding as a symptom (38%); and ultrasound, followed by a magnetic resonance and CT scan were the diagnostic tools most used. In 54% of the cases, a surgical biopsy was performed, and 92% of the patients underwent upfront surgery with an open access or vaginal resection except one case fully managed by minimally invasive surgery. Most of the patients (68%) received adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy or a combination of them. The mean follow-up period was 6 years.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the rarity of this cancer and bizarre location, a minimally invasive approach seems feasible after multidisciplinary evaluation. According to the rarity of this tumor, any future case and follow-up data must be reported in the literature in order to enlarge the knowledge about it.
PubMed: 37510961
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12144846 -
Human Reproduction Update Jan 2021There is emerging evidence that early uterine development in humans is an important determinant of conditions such as ontogenetic progesterone resistance, menstrual... (Review)
Review
There is emerging evidence that early uterine development in humans is an important determinant of conditions such as ontogenetic progesterone resistance, menstrual preconditioning, defective deep placentation and pre-eclampsia in young adolescents. A key observation is the relative infrequency of neonatal uterine bleeding and hormone withdrawal at birth. The origin of the uterus from the fusion of the two paramesonephric, or Müllerian, ducts was described almost 200 years ago. The uterus forms around the 10th week of foetal life. The uterine corpus and the cervix react differently to the circulating steroid hormones during pregnancy. Adult uterine proportions are not attained until after puberty. It is unclear if the endometrial microbiome and immune response-which are areas of growing interest in the adult-play a role in the early stages of uterine development. The aim is to review the phases of uterine development up until the onset of puberty in order to trace the origin of abnormal development and to assess current knowledge for features that may be linked to conditions encountered later in life. The narrative review incorporates literature searches of Medline, PubMed and Scopus using the broad terms individually and then in combination: uterus, development, anatomy, microscopy, embryology, foetus, (pre)-puberty, menarche, microbiome and immune cells. Identified articles were assessed manually for relevance, any linked articles and historical textbooks. We included some animal studies of molecular mechanisms. There are competing theories about the contributions of the Müllerian and Wolffian ducts to the developing uterus. Endometrium features are suggestive of an oestrogen effect at 16-20 weeks gestation. The discrepancy in the reported expression of oestrogen receptor is likely to be related to the higher sensitivity of more recent techniques. Primitive endometrial glands appear around 20 weeks. Features of progestogen action are expressed late in the third trimester. Interestingly, progesterone receptor expression is higher at mid-gestation than at birth when features of endometrial maturation are rare. Neonatal uterine bleeding occurs in around 5% of neonates. Myometrial differentiation progresses from the mesenchyme surrounding the endometrium at the level of the cervix. During infancy, the uterus and endometrium remain inactive. The beginning of uterine growth precedes the onset of puberty and continues for several years after menarche. Uterine anomalies may result from fusion defects or atresia of one or both Müllerian ducts. Organogenetic differentiation of Müllerian epithelium to form the endometrial and endocervical epithelium may be independent of circulating steroids. A number of genes have been identified that are involved in endometrial and myometrial differentiation although gene mutations have not been demonstrated to be common in cases of uterine malformation. The role, if any, of the microbiome in relation to uterine development remains speculative. Modern molecular techniques applied to rodent models have enhanced our understanding of uterine molecular mechanisms and their interactions. However, little is known about functional correlates or features with relevance to adult onset of uterine disease in humans. Prepubertal growth and development lends itself to non-invasive diagnostics such as ultrasound and MRI. Increased awareness of the occurrence of neonatal uterine bleeding and of the potential impact on adult onset disease may stimulate renewed research in this area.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Endometrium; Female; Humans; Menarche; Morphogenesis; Pregnancy; Uterine Hemorrhage; Uterus
PubMed: 33395479
DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa036 -
Der Pathologe May 2015The 2004 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of renal cancer includes renal carcinoid and neuroendocrine cancer of the kidneys in the group of primary renal... (Review)
Review
The 2004 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of renal cancer includes renal carcinoid and neuroendocrine cancer of the kidneys in the group of primary renal neuroendocrine tumors. The histological features of primary renal carcinoids are similar to those of neuroendocrine tumors found in other anatomical locations. Primary carcinoid tumors of the kidneys are frequently misdiagnosed as other kidney cancers, such as papillary renal cell carcinoma, mesonephric tumors, Wilms tumor (WT) and undifferentiated carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining results are consistent with the diagnosis of a neuroendocrine tumor with immunoreactivity for synaptophysin, chromogranin, CD56, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Positive expression of CD99 can also be seen. There is mainly absence of WT1, cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, thyroid transcription factor (TTF1) and LCA, ruling out most other differential diagnoses. Renal carcinoid tumors are regarded as low-grade neuroendocrine tumors; however, many studies have demonstrated metastatic disease in patients with renal carcinoid tumors. The prognostic value of histological parameters is uncertain. Some studies have correlated poor patient prognosis with increased mitotic activity, presence of necrosis and cytological atypia. Cases with higher mitotic rates of > 2 mitoses/10 high power fields (HPF) developed metastases more frequently; therefore, the WHO classification of neuroendocrine tumors used in other organs is recommended for primary renal carcinoid tumors.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoid Tumor; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Progression; Humans; Kidney; Kidney Neoplasms; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Prognosis
PubMed: 25898936
DOI: 10.1007/s00292-015-0018-y -
Asian Journal of Andrology 2015The development of the Wolffian/epididymal duct is crucial for proper function and, therefore, male fertility. The development of the epididymis is complex; the initial... (Review)
Review
The development of the Wolffian/epididymal duct is crucial for proper function and, therefore, male fertility. The development of the epididymis is complex; the initial stages form as a transient embryonic kidney; then the mesonephros is formed, which in turn undergoes extensive morphogenesis under the influence of androgens and growth factors. Thus, understanding of its full development requires a wide and multidisciplinary view. This review focuses on mouse models that display abnormalities of the Wolffian duct and mesonephric development, the importance of these mouse models toward understanding male reproductive tract development, and how these models contribute to our understanding of clinical abnormalities in humans such as congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT).
Topics: Animals; Epididymis; Male; Mesonephros; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Morphogenesis; Wolffian Ducts
PubMed: 26112482
DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.155540 -
Insights Into Imaging Oct 2016To help physicians and radiologists in the diagnosis of female genito-urinary malformations, especially of complex cases, the embryology of the female genital tract, the... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
To help physicians and radiologists in the diagnosis of female genito-urinary malformations, especially of complex cases, the embryology of the female genital tract, the basis for Müllerian development anomalies, the current classifications for such anomalies and the comparison for inclusion and cataloguing of female genital malformations are briefly reviewed. The use of the embryological system to catalogue female genito-urinary malformations may ultimately be more useful in correlations with clinical presentations and in helping with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Diagnostic imaging of the different genito-urinary anomalies are exposed, placing particular emphasis on the anomalies within group II of the embryological and clinical classification (distal mesonephric anomalies), all of them associated with unilateral renal agenesis or dysplasia. Similarly, emphasis is placed on cases of cervico-vaginal agenesis, cavitated noncommunicated uterine horns, and cloacal and urogenital sinus anomalies and malformative combinations, all of them complex malformations. Diagnostic imaging for all these anomalies is essential. The best imaging tools and when to evaluate for other anomalies are also analysed in this review.
TEACHING POINTS
• The appropriate cataloguing of female genital malformations is controversial. • An embryological classification system suggests the best diagnosis and appropriate management. • The anomalies most frequently diagnosed incorrectly are the distal mesonephric anomalies (DMAs). • DMAs are associated with unilateral renal agenesis or renal dysplasia with ectopic ureter. • We analyse other complex malformations. Diagnostic imaging for these anomalies is essential.
PubMed: 27507534
DOI: 10.1007/s13244-016-0515-4 -
The Journal of Pathology Jan 2024Mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) of the female genital tract is an uncommon histotype that can arise in both the endometrium and the ovary. The exact cell of origin...
Mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma harbours characteristic copy number variations and a distinct DNA methylation signature closely related to mesonephric adenocarcinoma of the cervix.
Mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) of the female genital tract is an uncommon histotype that can arise in both the endometrium and the ovary. The exact cell of origin and histogenesis currently remain unknown. Here, we investigated whole genome DNA methylation patterns and copy number variations (CNVs) in a series of MLAs in the context of a large cohort of various gynaecological carcinoma types. CNV analysis of 19 MLAs uncovered gains of chromosomes 1q (18/19, 95%), 10 (15/19, 79%), 12 (14/19, 74%), and 2 (10/19, 53%), as well as loss of chromosome 1p (7/19, 37%). Gains of chromosomes 1q, 10, and 12 were also identified in the majority of mesonephric adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix (MAs) as well as subsets of endometrioid carcinomas (ECs) and low-grade serous carcinomas of the ovary (LGSCs) but only in a minority of serous carcinomas of the uterine corpus (USCs), clear cell carcinomas (CCCs), and tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs). While losses of chromosome 1p together with gains of chromosome 1q were also identified in both MA and LGSC, gains of chromosome 2 were almost exclusively identified in MLA and MA. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering and t-SNE analysis of DNA methylation data (Illumina EPIC array) identified a co-clustering for MLAs and MAs, which was distinct from clusters of ECs, USCs, CCCs, LGSCs, and HGSCs. Group-wise comparisons confirmed a close epigenetic relationship between MLA and MA. These findings, in conjunction with the established histological and immunophenotypical overlap, suggest bona fide mesonephric differentiation, and support a more precise terminology of mesonephric-type adenocarcinoma instead of MLA in these tumours. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Topics: Female; Humans; Cervix Uteri; DNA Copy Number Variations; DNA Methylation; Carcinoma, Endometrioid; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; Ovarian Neoplasms
PubMed: 37850576
DOI: 10.1002/path.6217