Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity-a comparative study with CCPRCC, OPRCC, and PRCC1

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity shows benign behavior: Results from a 77-case clinicopathological and molecular study

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity (PRNRP) is a low-grade renal tumor characterized by oncocytic cells with apical nuclei, GATA3 expression, and frequent KRAS mutations. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize and determine prognostic significance of PRNRP by conducting clinical, histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic analyses while reviewing prior reports. A total of 506 patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) who underwent curative nephrectomy from 1989 to 2023 were analyzed, leading to the reclassification of 77 cases (17 %) as PRNRP. All cases were pT1 tumors with a median size of 1.5 cm. Initially, 40 %, 31 %, and 18 % were diagnosed as PRCC type 1, PRNRP, and PRCC type 2, respectively. PRNRP cases consistently displayed characteristic features; however, two tumors exhibited high-grade nuclear atypia resembling WHO/ISUP grade 3, highlighting the existence of atypical subgroups. Immunohistochemical analysis showed GATA3 expression in 97 % of cases. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) expression was observed in 86 % of cases. KRAS exon 2 mutations were identified in all cases, including the two atypical PRNRPs. Neither recurrence nor disease-specific death occurred throughout a median follow-up period of 46 months. This study highlights the necessity of thorough diagnostic evaluation, incorporating unique histological features, GATA3 positivity, and KRAS mutation analysis, especially in the presence of atypical morphology, while reaffirming the benign nature of PRNRP.

Cytologic diagnosis of papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity

BACKGROUND

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity is a recently recognized low-grade neoplasm with a favorable prognosis. To date, its cytologic features have not been well documented.

METHODS

Two patients with papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity sampled by fine needle aspiration and core needle biopsy are described, one of whom is under active surveillance without clinical progression and the other is alive and well 16 years after partial nephrectomy.

RESULTS

The cytologic features included a mix of papillae and dispersed cells with abundant oncocytic cytoplasm and round, bland nuclei apically displaced away from the papillary core. Immunohistochemistry showed positive staining for GATA3 in both cases. Molecular studies on one of the cases showed a KRAS p.G12V mutation.

CONCLUSIONS

The cytologic features of this distinctive, indolent neoplasm are important to recognize because patients with papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity may be excellent candidates for partial nephrectomy or even active surveillance.

Acceptance of emerging renal oncocytic neoplasms: a survey of urologic pathologists

Oncocytic renal neoplasms are a major source of diagnostic challenge in genitourinary pathology; however, they are typically nonaggressive in general, raising the question of whether distinguishing different subtypes, including emerging entities, is necessary. Emerging entities recently described include eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma (ESC RCC), low-grade oncocytic tumor (LOT), eosinophilic vacuolated tumor (EVT), and papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity (PRNRP). A survey was shared among 65 urologic pathologists using SurveyMonkey.com (Survey Monkey, Santa Clara, CA, USA). De-identified and anonymized respondent data were analyzed. Sixty-three participants completed the survey and contributed to the study. Participants were from Asia (n = 21; 35%), North America (n = 31; 52%), Europe (n = 6; 10%), and Australia (n = 2; 3%). Half encounter oncocytic renal neoplasms that are difficult to classify monthly or more frequently. Most (70%) indicated that there is enough evidence to consider ESC RCC as a distinct entity now, whereas there was less certainty for LOT (27%), EVT (29%), and PRNRP (37%). However, when combining the responses for sufficient evidence currently and likely in the future, LOT and EVT yielded > 70% and > 60% for PRNRP. Most (60%) would not render an outright diagnosis of oncocytoma on needle core biopsy. There was a dichotomy in the routine use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the evaluation of oncocytoma (yes = 52%; no = 48%). The most utilized IHC markers included keratin 7 and 20, KIT, AMACR, PAX8, CA9, melan A, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)B, and fumarate hydratase (FH). Genetic techniques used included TSC1/TSC2/MTOR (67%) or TFE3 (74%) genes and pathways; however, the majority reported using these very rarely. Only 40% have encountered low-grade oncocytic renal neoplasms that are deficient for FH. Increasing experience with the spectrum of oncocytic renal neoplasms will likely yield further insights into the most appropriate work-up, classification, and clinical management for these entities.

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity has low frequency of alterations in chromosomes 7, 17, and Y

In papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity (PRNRP), the status of chromosomal copy number alterations, especially chromosomes 7/17 gain and chromosome Y loss, has remained controversial. In the literatures, there is a discrepancy among the results of chromosomal alteration in PRNRP depending on the analytical methods. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the status of chromosomal abnormalities in PRNRP. Nineteen PRNRP cases were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), five of which were additionally subjected to array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis. Fifteen cases of PRCC were used as controls. From the aCGH results, no genome copy number abnormalities were found in the five PRNRP cases. By FISH, numbers of nuclei with abnormal chromosomal signals in PRNRP (centromere 7 gain: 11-21% of nuclei, centromere 17 gain: 11% of nuclei, centromere Y loss: 14-31% of nuclei) were similar to those in non-neoplastic tubular cells (centromere 7 gain: 11-15% of nuclei, centromere 17 gain: 12-15% of nuclei, centromere Y loss: 13-45% of nuclei). c-MET immunohistochemical overexpression, a substitute marker for chromosome 7 trisomy, was observed in 0 of 19 PRNRP cases, consistent with the analyses by aCGH and NGS regarding chromosome 7 gain. Taken together, the frequency of chromosomal alterations in PRNRP is similar to that in non-neoplastic tubular cells, and lower than that in PRCC. Our data suggest that PRNRP has a different tumorigenesis and is a distinct entity from PRCC.

Non-coding RNA and gene expression analyses of papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity (PRNRP) reveal distinct pathological mechanisms from other renal neoplasms

Papillary renal neoplasm with reversed polarity (PRNRP) is a recently described rare renal neoplasm. Traditionally, it was considered a variant of papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). However, several studies reported significant differences between PRNRP and PRCC in terms of clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular features. Nonetheless, PRNRP remains a poorly understood entity. We used microarray analysis to elucidate the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and gene expression profiles of 10 PRNRP cases and compared them with other renal neoplasms. Unsupervised cluster analysis showed that PRNRP had distinct expression profiles from either clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) or PRCC cases at the level of ncRNA but were less distinct at the level of gene expression. An integrated omic approach determined miRNA:gene interactions that distinguished PRNRP from PRCC and we validated 10 differentially expressed miRNAs and six genes by quantitative RT-PCR. We found that levels of the miRNAs, miR-148a, miR-375 and miR-429, were up-regulated in PRNRP cases compared to ccRCC and PRCC. miRNA target genes, including KRAS and VEGFA oncogenes, and CXCL8, which regulates VEGFA, were also differentially expressed between renal neoplasms. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) determined different activation of metabolic pathways between PRNRP and PRCC cases. Overall, this study is by far the largest molecular study of PRNRP cases and the first to investigate either ncRNA expression or their gene expression by microarray assays.

Low-risk oncocytic renal neoplasm: A useful cytologic diagnosis

The proposed diagnostic category of “low‐risk oncocytic renal neoplasm” consists of both oncocytomas and a subset of chromophobe renal cell carcinomas but has a 5‐year survival of at least 95%–100%.

Cytomorphology of papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse nuclear polarity (PRNRP) is an emerging oncocytic renal tumor. Cytomorphologic features of this tumor have not been described in the literature before. The objective of this study was to review the cytomorphology of a case PRNRP and compare with cytomorphologic features of papillary renal cell carcinomas (pRCCs) reported in the literature. 1 case of core needle biopsy (CNB) with touch preparation (TP) of a renal mass diagnosed as PRNRP was reviewed retrospectively. Clinical presentation, cytomorphologic features, ancillary tests and histopathology results were analyzed. The touch preparation was cellular and showed tight 3-D clusters of cuboidal epithelial cells with variable presence of fibrovascular cores (FC), granular eosinophilic cytoplasm, round apically located grade 1 nuclei compared to cases of pRCC that consistently showed presence of FCs lined by cuboidal to columnar epithelial cells with variable degree of cytologic atypia. Features characteristic of pRCC like foamy macrophages, hemosiderin laden macrophages, nuclear grooves or psammoma bodies were not present. No necrosis or mitosis were identified. By immunohistochemistry (IHC) the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin 7, GATA-3 and AMACR (focal) and negative for CA-IX, CD117 and vimentin. Cytomorphologic features of PRNRP are unique and characterized by tight 3-D clusters (with or without FCs) of cuboidal cells with small round apically located nuclei and finely granular oncocytic cytoplasm. Specific diagnosis of PRNRP on cytology or CNB is feasible along with use of ancillary tests IHC and /or molecular tests.