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Modern Pathology : An Official Journal... Jul 2023Our understanding of the biology and management of human disease has undergone a remarkable evolution in recent decades. Improved understanding of the roles of complex... (Review)
Review
Our understanding of the biology and management of human disease has undergone a remarkable evolution in recent decades. Improved understanding of the roles of complex immune populations in the tumor microenvironment has advanced our knowledge of antitumor immunity, and immunotherapy has radically improved outcomes for many advanced cancers. Digital pathology has unlocked new possibilities for the assessment and discovery of the tumor microenvironment, such as quantitative and spatial image analysis. Despite these advances, tissue-based evaluations for diagnosis and prognosis continue to rely on traditional practices, such as hematoxylin and eosin staining, supplemented by the assessment of single biomarkers largely using chromogenic immunohistochemistry (IHC). Such approaches are poorly suited to complex quantitative analyses and the simultaneous evaluation of multiple biomarkers. Thus, multiplex staining techniques have significant potential to improve diagnostic practice and immuno-oncology research. The different approaches to achieve multiplexed IHC and immunofluorescence are described in this study. Alternatives to multiplex immunofluorescence/IHC include epitope-based tissue mass spectrometry and digital spatial profiling (DSP), which require specialized platforms not available to most clinical laboratories. Virtual multiplexing, which involves digitally coregistering singleplex IHC stains performed on serial sections, is another alternative to multiplex staining. Regardless of the approach, analysis of multiplexed stains sequentially or simultaneously will benefit from standardized protocols and digital pathology workflows. Although this is a complex and rapidly advancing field, multiplex staining is now technically feasible for most clinical laboratories and may soon be leveraged for routine diagnostic use. This review provides an update on the current state of the art for tissue multiplexing, including the capabilities and limitations of different techniques, with an emphasis on potential relevance to clinical diagnostic practice.
Topics: Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Pathologists; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Neoplasms; Biomarkers; Coloring Agents; Biomarkers, Tumor; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 37105494
DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2023.100197 -
The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics :... Sep 2023The goals of the Association for Molecular Pathology Clinical Practice Committee's Pharmacogenomics (PGx) Working Group are to define the key attributes of... (Review)
Review
CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 Genotyping Recommendations: A Joint Consensus Recommendation of the Association for Molecular Pathology, Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium, College of American Pathologists, Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group of the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association, European...
The goals of the Association for Molecular Pathology Clinical Practice Committee's Pharmacogenomics (PGx) Working Group are to define the key attributes of pharmacogenetic alleles recommended for clinical testing and a minimum set of variants that should be included in clinical PGx genotyping assays. This document series provides recommendations for a minimum panel of variant alleles (tier 1) and an extended panel of variant alleles (tier 2) that will aid clinical laboratories when designing assays for PGx testing. The Association for Molecular Pathology PGx Working Group considered functional impact of the variant alleles, allele frequencies in multiethnic populations, the availability of reference materials, and other technical considerations for PGx testing when developing these recommendations. The goal of this Working Group is to promote standardization of PGx gene/allele testing across clinical laboratories. This document will focus on clinical CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 PGx testing that may be applied to all CYP3A4- and CYP3A5-related medications. These recommendations are not to be interpreted as prescriptive but to provide a reference guide.
Topics: Humans; Pharmacogenetics; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; Genotype; Consensus; Pathology, Molecular; Pharmacists; Pathologists
PubMed: 37419245
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2023.06.008 -
Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official... Aug 2023To update ASCO-College of American Pathologists (CAP) recommendations for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) testing in breast cancer. The Panel is aware...
PURPOSE
To update ASCO-College of American Pathologists (CAP) recommendations for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) testing in breast cancer. The Panel is aware that a new generation of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting the HER2 protein is active against breast cancers that lack protein overexpression or gene amplification.
METHODS
An Update Panel conducted a systematic literature review to identify signals for updating recommendations.
RESULTS
The search identified 173 abstracts. Of five potential publications reviewed, none constituted a signal for revising existing recommendations.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The 2018 ASCO-CAP recommendations for HER2 testing are affirmed.
DISCUSSION
HER2 testing guidelines have focused on identifying HER2 protein overexpression or gene amplification in breast cancer to identify patients for therapies that disrupt HER2 signaling. This update acknowledges a new indication for trastuzumab deruxtecan when HER2 is not overexpressed or amplified but is immunohistochemistry (IHC) 1+ or 2+ without amplification by in situ hybridization. Clinical trial data on tumors that tested IHC 0 are limited (excluded from DESTINY-Breast04), and evidence is lacking that these cancers behave differently or do not respond similarly to newer HER2 ADCs. Although current data do not support a new IHC 0 versus 1+ prognostic or predictive threshold for response to trastuzumab deruxtecan, this threshold is now relevant because of the trial entry criteria that supported its new regulatory approval. Therefore, while it is premature to create new result categories of HER2 expression (eg, HER2-Low, HER2-Ultra-Low), best practices to distinguish IHC 0 from 1+ are now clinically relevant. This Update affirms prior HER2 reporting recommendations and offers a new HER2 testing reporting comment to highlight the current relevance of IHC 0 versus 1+ results and best practice recommendations to distinguish these often subtle differences.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/breast-cancer-guidelines.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Pathologists; Receptor, ErbB-2; Biomarkers, Tumor
PubMed: 37284804
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.22.02864 -
Pathologica Apr 2024Pulmonary involvement is frequent in vasculitis, particularly in ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis. Laboratory and radiological data alone are often sufficient to... (Review)
Review
Pulmonary involvement is frequent in vasculitis, particularly in ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis. Laboratory and radiological data alone are often sufficient to confirm the clinical hypothesis, but sometimes the pathologist plays a crucial role in the differential diagnosis and the patient's management. In this review, the pathologic features of pulmonary vasculitis and the pathologist's role in this field are illustrated.
Topics: Humans; Lung; Vasculitis; Diagnosis, Differential; Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis; Lung Diseases
PubMed: 38767542
DOI: 10.32074/1591-951X-988 -
The American Journal of Dermatopathology Nov 2023Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) is a tumor-associated antigen first identified in a melanoma patient and found to be expressed in most melanomas as...
Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) is a tumor-associated antigen first identified in a melanoma patient and found to be expressed in most melanomas as well as in variable levels in other malignant neoplasms of epithelial, mesenchymal, or hematolymphoid lineage. Detection of PRAME expression in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue is possible by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with commercially available monoclonal antibodies. In situ and invasive melanoma frequently show a diffuse pattern of nuclear PRAME immunoreactivity which contrasts with the infrequent and typically nondiffuse staining seen in nevi. In many challenging melanocytic tumors, results of PRAME IHC and other ancillary tests correlate well, but not always: The tests are not interchangeable. Most metastatic melanomas are positive for PRAME, whereas nodal nevi are not. Numerous studies on PRAME IHC have become available in the past few years with results supporting the value of PRAME IHC as an ancillary tool in the evaluation of melanocytic lesions and providing insights into limitations in sensitivity and specificity as well as possible pitfalls that need to be kept in mind by practicing pathologists.
Topics: Humans; Antigens, Neoplasm; Biomarkers, Tumor; Immunohistochemistry; Melanoma; Nevus; Skin Neoplasms; Transcription Factors; Melanoma, Cutaneous Malignant
PubMed: 37856737
DOI: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000002440 -
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory... Aug 2023Gene editing-based therapies are currently in development in the areas of oncology, inherited disease, and infectious disease. These potentially life-altering therapies...
CONTEXT—
Gene editing-based therapies are currently in development in the areas of oncology, inherited disease, and infectious disease. These potentially life-altering therapies are derived from decades of research in both academic and industry settings that developed technologies rooted in principles and products of nature. However, with such technologic developments come many important considerations, including adverse risks, high cost, and ethical questions.
OBJECTIVE—
To educate pathologists about gene editing technologies, inform them of potential indications and risks, outline regulatory and practical issues that could affect hospital-based practice and laboratory testing, and advocate that pathologists need to be present at discussions among industry and regulators pertaining to gene editing-based therapies.
DESIGN—
A Gene Editing Workgroup, facilitated by the College of American Pathologists Personalized Health Care Committee and consisting of pathologists of various backgrounds, was convened to develop an educational paper to serve as a stimulus to increase pathologist involvement and inquiry in gene editing therapeutic and diagnostic implementation.
RESULTS—
Through multiple discussions and literature review, the workgroup identified potential gaps in pathologists' knowledge of gene editing. Additional topics that could impact pathology and laboratory medicine were also identified and summarized in order to facilitate pathologists as stakeholders in gene editing therapy administration and monitoring and potential use in diagnostics.
CONCLUSIONS—
Gene editing therapy is a complex but potentially transformative area of medicine. This article serves as an introduction to pathologists to assist them in future discussions with colleagues and potentially identify and alter pathology practices that relate to gene editing.
PubMed: 37603682
DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2022-0410-CP -
Cardiovascular Pathology : the Official... May 2024Aortic diseases require a multidisciplinary management for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up with better outcomes in referral centers using a team-based approach. The... (Review)
Review
Aortic diseases require a multidisciplinary management for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up with better outcomes in referral centers using a team-based approach. The setting up of a multi-disciplinary aortic team for the discussion of complex cases has been already proposed; it is also supported by the ACC/AHA. Surgeons and radiologists, more or less other physicians such as cardiologists, geneticists, rheumatologists/internal medicine specialists and pathologists are involved into such a team. The role of the cardiovascular pathologist is to examine the aortic specimens, to diagnose and classify the aortic lesions. Herein, the role of the pathologist in the aortic team is discussed and the pathobiology of aortic diseases is reviewed for reference by pathologists. The aortic specimens are mainly obtained from emergency or elective surgical procedures on the thoracic aorta, less frequently from organ/tissue (including cardiac or heart valve) donors, post-mortem procedures or abdominal aortic surgery. In the last decade, together with the progress of medical sciences, the histological definitions and classifications of the aortic pathology are undergoing thorough revisions that are addressed to an etiopathogenetic approach because of possible clinico-pathological correlations, therapeutic and prognostic impact. Pathologists may also have an important role in research and teaching. Therefore, histological analyses of the aortic specimens require adequate sample processing and pathologist expertise because histology contributes to definite diagnosis, correct management of patients and even (in genetic diseases) families, but also to research in the challenging field of aortopathies.
PubMed: 38703970
DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2024.107649 -
Fetal and Pediatric Pathology 2024
Topics: Humans; Child; Pathologists; Disasters
PubMed: 38009306
DOI: 10.1080/15513815.2023.2285578 -
Pathologie (Heidelberg, Germany) Sep 2023Hereditary cancer is characterized by the development of certain cancer types in combination with pathogenic germline mutations in genes known to predispose to these... (Review)
Review
Hereditary cancer is characterized by the development of certain cancer types in combination with pathogenic germline mutations in genes known to predispose to these cancer types. Familial cancer differs from hereditary cancer in that no predisposing germline mutation is detected in affected families. However, familial cancer may have a genetic background of as yet unknown origin. Colorectal cancer is unique among human tumors since almost all cancers derive from macroscopically visible benign polypoid precursors. Molecular mechanisms of precursor development differ from that of malignant transformation. Hereditary colorectal cancer can be categorized into polypous and non-polypous predispositions. While the former elevate cancer risk by increasing the number of cancer precursors, the latter elevate cancer risk by increasing the likeliness of malignant transformation. It is the pathologist's responsibility to use morphologic criteria in combination with clinical data in order to raise suspicion of hereditary tumorigenesis and recommend genetic counselling. This article summarizes the current knowledge on hereditary colorectal cancer.
Topics: Humans; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli; Colorectal Neoplasms; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
PubMed: 37273076
DOI: 10.1007/s00292-023-01200-w