Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders in pediatric patients undergoing liver transplantation

OBJECTIVES

To study the clinicopathologic and molecular genetic findings in posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) following pediatric liver transplantation and to determine the applicability of a recently proposed consensus classification system.

DESIGN

The clinical, pathologic, and molecular genetic findings of 11 PTLDs that occurred in 10 patients are presented. These 10 patients were derived from a group of 121 pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation at the University of California, San Francisco. The PTLDs were classified using the proposed Society for Hematopathology scheme. Clonality was determined by immunohistochemical detection of monotypic immunoglobulin or by using polymerase chain reaction-based methods to detect monoclonal immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was detected by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, or polymerase chain reaction. Epstein-Barr virus typing and the presence of LMP1 gene deletions were also analyzed by polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

There were 3 early lesions, 4 polymorphic PTLDs, and 4 monomorphic PTLDs. Monoclonality was demonstrated in 8 of 9 cases assessed. Epstein-Barr virus was present in all cases; of 9 cases assessed by polymerase chain reaction, the virus was type A in 8 and type B in 1. No EBV LMP1 gene deletions were identified. The corresponding liver explants were negative for EBV in 8 cases and positive in 1 case. Greater than 3 foci of disease and monomorphic PTLD were associated with decreased actuarial survival (P <.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The prognosis of pediatric patients with PTLD is favorable for early lesions and polymorphous PTLD, particularly in patients with localized disease. Multifocal disease and monomorphic PTLD are associated with an unfavorable prognosis.

Cyclin D1 expression in renal carcinomas and oncocytomas: an immunohistochemical study

Cyclin D1 plays an important role in cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase. Cyclin D1 overexpression has been identified in many human neoplasms, including a variety of carcinomas. A systematic study of cyclin D1 expression in renal carcinomas and oncocytomas has not been reported. Ninety-six renal epithelial neoplasms, 78 renal carcinomas (45 clear-cell, 18 papillary, and 15 chromophobe), and 18 oncocytomas were analyzed immunohistochemically using routinely fixed tissue sections and a cocktail of two monoclonal anti-cyclin D1 antibodies. One thousand cells were manually counted, and the percentage of cyclin D1 positive cells was calculated. Fluorescence in situ hybridization studies using chromosome 11 centromeric and 11q13 specific probes were performed on a subset of clear-cell carcinomas and oncocytomas. Cyclin D1 immunoreactivity was observed in 23 (51%) of 45 clear-cell, 5 (28%) of 18 papillary, and 2 (13%) of 15 chromophobe carcinomas. Nine (50%) of 18 oncocytomas were positive for cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 expression in clear-cell carcinomas did not correlate with survival. Fluorescence in situ hybridization studies on eight clear-cell carcinomas and seven oncocytomas revealed normal chromosome 11 number and no evidence of amplification of the 11q13 locus. Thus, cyclin D1 can be immunohistochemically demonstrated in approximately one-half of renal oncocytomas and clear-cell carcinomas and is less frequent in papillary and chromophobe carcinomas. The mechanism of cyclin D1 expression is unknown, but it does not seem to be related to extra copies of chromosome 11 or to gene amplification.

Initiating genetic events in small renal neoplasms detected by comparative genomic hybridization

PURPOSE

To identify the genetic alterations associated with renal adenomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed 37 renal adenomas obtained at autopsy (23 papillary and 14 non-papillary) by comparative genomic hybridization.

RESULTS

In papillary tumors, the median number of gains and losses of genetic material per tumor was 2.0 and 1.0, respectively. Papillary tumors were characterized predominantly by gains of genetic material on chromosomes 7 (57%), 17 (35%), 16 (26%), 12 (26%), 3 (22%), 20 (22%) and loss of a sex chromosome (83%). In 6 papillary tumors less than or equal to 5 mm. in diameter, gain of chromosome 7 occurred in 4 specimens. Initiating events for papillary renal adenomas include gain of chromosome 7 and loss of a sex chromosome. In non-papillary tumors, the median number of gains and losses of genetic material per tumor was 1.0 and 1.0, respectively. Non-papillary tumors were characterized by loss of genetic material on chromosome 3p (50%), loss of a sex chromosome (36%) and a gain of chromosome 5 (43%). The initiating event for non-papillary renal adenomas is the loss of chromosome 3p.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal adenomas demonstrate similar genetic alterations as clinically detected renal cell carcinomas. Their clinically indolent course may, in part, be a result of the lower number of genetic alterations per tumor than their clinically detected counterparts. Renal adenomas are thus small carcinomas which have not yet acquired the necessary genetic alterations leading to tumor progression.

Appraisal of intratumoral microvessel density, MIB-1 score, DNA content, and p53 protein expression as prognostic indicators in patients with locally confined renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognostic values of intratumoral microvessel density (iMVD), tumor cell proliferation rate, DNA content (ploidy), and p53 protein expression are controversial or have not been well studied in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) confined to the kidney.

METHODS

A uniform group of 52 clear cell (conventional) RCCs confined to the kidney (classified as T1N0M0 or T2N0M0) were analyzed for iMVD, MIB-1 score, DNA content, S-phase fraction, and p53 protein expression by immunohistochemical methods or flow cytometry. iMVD was evaluated in a single area (X200, 1.15 mm2) representative of the highest MVD (neovascular "hot spot") after independently highlighting endothelial cells with antibodies specific for factor VIII-related antigen (F8/86) and CD31 (JC/70A). The MIB-1 antibody (Ki-67 antigen) score was used as a marker for the tumor cell proliferation rate. DNA content and S-phase fraction were determined by flow cytometry using paraffin embedded tissue. p53 expression was assessed using the D07 antibody.

RESULTS

The median time of clinical follow-up was > 9 years. Eleven patients died of disease; the median time to death was 26 months. iMVD counts using antifactor VIII and anti-CD31 were tightly correlated (correlation coefficient = 0.89). S-phase fraction was higher in aneuploid tumors than in diploid tumors (mean, 12.4% vs. 4.3%; P = 0.01). Using univariate survival analyses, tumor size (stage classification pT1 vs. PT2; P = 0.01) and nuclear grade (P = 0.04) were associated with shortened survival. No statistically significant differences in survival were found for iMVD, MIB-1 score, DNA content, S-phase fraction, or p53 expression. Only two cases strongly expressed p53 protein; both tumors were of high nuclear grade. Using multivariate survival analyses, nuclear grade and tumor size were the only independent prognostic factors (best model P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, nuclear grade and tumor size were found to be independent predictors of survival in locally confined clear cell (conventional) RCC, as has been shown previously for locally confined RCC in general. MIB-1 score, iMVD counts, DNA content, S-phase fraction, and p53 expression did not contribute additional prognostic information.

Hodgkin's disease of the esophagus

A 61-year-old man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) sought care because of the onset of progressive dysphagia. He was found to have a perforated, fungating esophageal mass. The combined histologic and immunologic findings were diagnostic of Hodgkin's disease, nodular sclerosis type, lymphocyte-depleted variant, arising in the esophagus. The Reed-Sternberg cells and mononuclear variants were positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein (LMP1) and EBV RNA. Occasional small lymphoid cells were also positive for EBV RNA. Polymerase chain reaction studies demonstrated the presence of EBV type A without deletion of the EBV LMP1 gene. Other authors have reported an increased frequency of type B EBV and deletion of the EBV LMP1 gene in cases of human immunodeficiency virus-associated Hodgkin's disease. Hodgkin's disease arising in the esophagus is rare in immunocompetent patients. However, in the presence of AIDS, Hodgkin's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with signs or symptoms of esophageal disease.

Renal cell carcinoma: current prognostic factors. Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinomas include several distinct entities with a range of biologic and clinical behavior from relatively indolent to extremely aggressive. Although conventional prognostic factors such as stage and grade are quite useful, other clinical, laboratory, and pathologic findings are now believed to have additional predictive value.

METHODS

A review of the literature on the evaluation of prognostic factors in general and on the current status of prognostic factors in renal cell carcinoma in particular was undertaken. A working classification of prognostic factors, as recommended by the College of American Pathologists, was used. For clarity, the prognostic indicators were grouped according to whether each was a patient-related or tumor-related factor.

RESULTS

Patient-related prognostic factors include symptomatic presentation, significant weight loss, poor performance status, anemia, hypercalcemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase and, perhaps, elevated serum ferritin. The most widely used tumor-related prognostic factors include stage, grade, and histologic type. Recently proposed biomarkers still under investigation include DNA content, as well as markers of cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis, among others.

CONCLUSIONS

Current prognostic factors for renal cell carcinoma yield considerable information for assisting with patient management and predicting clinical outcome. Traditional prognostic factors remain the most valuable, even though a variety of other patient-related and tumor-related factors may significantly contribute to prognostic information. A number of recently described biomarkers show great promise but the current data are insufficient to recommend their use.

Prognostic factors in colorectal carcinomas

Colorectal carcinoma remains a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. Various clinical signs and pathologic factors have been shown to have a bearing on a patient's prognosis. Some of these factors, such as extent of disease (stage) and histologic grade, are generally accepted, while others, primarily biologic and molecular markers, have been proposed recently and remain controversial. The authors describe both more established and newly proposed variables, reviewing multivariate analyses to examine their relative importance. The recommendations of the Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology for the reporting of colorectal carcinomas are presented.

Crossmatch-compatible platelets improve corrected count increments in patients who are refractory to randomly selected platelets

BACKGROUND

HLA-matched platelets and crossmatch-compatible platelets are used to support thrombocytopenic patients who are refractory to randomly selected platelets. Data supporting the effectiveness of crossmatch-compatible platelets are limited, being essentially restricted to the subset of refractory patients previously shown to be alloimmunized. The authors' hospital does not test for alloimmunization. To determine the effectiveness of crossmatch-compatible platelets in an unselected group of refractory patients, the use of such platelets for all patients who are refractory to random-donor platelets was reviewed.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

All patients who received crossmatch-compatible platelets between January 1991 and May 1994 were retrospectively reviewed. All study patients were refractory to random-donor platelets, having two consecutive corrected count increments (CCIs) of < 10,000. A solid-phase red cell adherence method was used for platelet crossmatching, and CCI was used to monitor the effectiveness of each platelet transfusion.

RESULTS

A total of 475 crossmatch-compatible platelet components were administered to 66 evaluable patients who were refractory to random-donor platelets. A significant improvement was found in the mean CCI when crossmatch-compatible platelets were compared with randomly selected platelets (p < 0.0001): an increase of 8000 +/- 6100 (mean +/- SD). In 59 percent (39/ 66) of the patients, the mean CCI improved to at least 7,500 and in 41 percent (27/66) to at least 10,000. If the 10 patients for whom crossmatch-compatible platelets were not identified are included, the mean CCI in 51 percent (37/76) of the refractory patients improved to at least 7,500; in 36 percent (27/76), it improved to at least 10,000. The effectiveness of crossmatch-compatible platelets did not decline with continued use.

CONCLUSION

Crossmatch-compatible platelet components significantly improve the mean CCI for approximately one-half of patients who are refractory to random-donor platelets, even when the patients are not preselected for having alloimmunization to explain their refractory state.

Solitary fibrous tumor involving the renal capsule

Solitary fibrous tumors are spindle-cell neoplasms that originally were described in the pleura but that can occur in a large variety of sites. We report a well-circumscribed tumor, apparently involving the renal capsule, clinically thought to be a renal-cell carcinoma or oncocytoma. It was composed of bland spindle-shaped cells with a patchy lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, suggesting sarcomatoid renal-cell carcinoma, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, or solitary fibrous tumor; however, immunohistochemical stains were negative for keratin, alpha-smooth-muscle actin, and desmin but strongly positive for CD34. Ultrastructural examination revealed fibroblast-like cells without myofibroblastic or epithelial differentiation. The combined findings favor a diagnosis of a solitary fibrous tumor involving the renal capsule. To our knowledge, this lesion has not been reported in this location.

Editor's Note

No abstract

Editorial summary of the Pre-symposium workshop on the Contemporary Assessment of Technologies

The following is the editor's summary of the Pre-symposium workshop on Contemporary Assessment of Technologies presented at the Symposium on Molecular Approaches to Laboratory Diagnosis at San Francisco in February 1995. This workshop was moderated by Dr Joel M. Palefsky, and Dr Michael P. Busch. We have briefly summarized the presentations by: (1) Dr Indira Hewlett of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration entitled 'Technology overview'; (2) Dr John J. Sninsky of Roche Molecular Systems Inc. entitled "Polymerase Chain Reaction'; (3) Dr Terrance Walker of Becton Dickinson Research Center entitled 'Strand Displacement Amplification'; (4) Dr Mickey Urdea of Chiron Corporation entitled 'bDNA assay' and (5) Dr Robert H. Singer of University of Massachussetts Medical Center entitled 'Image analysis of in situ hybridization'. Although it was not possible to list all the references to the primary literature, we have attempted to provide the key references as far as possible.

Pregnancy-associated lymphomas. A clinicopathologic study

BACKGROUND

The natural histories of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) during pregnancy are not well understood.

METHODS

All cases of HD and NHL diagnosed during pregnancy at Stanford University Medical Center since 1987 were reviewed and clinical follow-up was obtained. Various immunohistochemical studies and in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoded RNA were performed in a subset of cases.

RESULTS

Seventeen cases of HD and 12 cases of NHL were accessioned (median age; 27 yrs). The HD cases were classified as 13 nodular sclerosis type, 3 mixed cellularity type, and 1 unclassified. Clinical follow-up revealed most of the patients had Stage II to III disease and were diagnosed on average at 22 weeks gestation. Most of the patients deferred therapy until after delivery and had no evidence of disease at the last follow-up except for one death with disease but not from it. NHL were classified according to the working formulation as high or intermediate grade lymphomas of various types, including both nodal and extranodal sites. Clinical follow-up revealed most had Stage II to IV disease and were diagnosed on average at 23 weeks gestation. Patients with HD tended to survive longer than those with NHL (raw mortality, P = 0.04). In situ hybridization failed to provide support for the presence of EBV in a subset of patients with NHL.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical behavior of these neoplasms during pregnancy does not appear to be significantly different from that outside of the setting of pregnancy. Treatment of selected HD patients apparently may be safely deferred until after delivery. Patients with NHL present with higher stage disease and have a poorer prognosis than those with HD.

Changes in blood coagulation during and following cardiopulmonary bypass: lack of correlation with clinical bleeding

Although previous studies have documented a wide variety of derangements in laboratory measurements of blood coagulation and platelets during cardiopulmonary bypass, limited data are available concerning the magnitude of these changes and any association with excessive bleeding. To determine whether abnormalities in commonly available laboratory tests for the evaluation of coagulation, fibrinolysis and hemostasis correlate with postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements as measures of clinical outcome, 47 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were studied prospectively at 12 time points before, during, and following CPB. Routine blood coagulation tests, coagulation factor levels (fibrinogen, V, VII, VIII, and IX) and fibrinolysis (FDP) became abnormal within 15 minutes after patients were placed on CPB, remained abnormal for the duration of CPB, and recovered at varying rates after discontinuation of CPB. Mean factor V levels declined by the greatest percentage, to 15% of normal, followed by factor VIII which decreased to 30%. Platelet counts declined to below 100 x 10(9)/L after the initiation of CPB and remained low in the postoperative period. Twenty-eight percent of patients had mediastinal output > or = 100 mL per hour during the immediate postoperative period, and were considered to be "bleeders." There were no clinically relevant differences in any of the laboratory measurements between patients with normal postoperative blood loss and those defined as bleeders. Thus, the absence of significant correlations between various laboratory measurements of hemostasis and actual postoperative bleeding indicates that these laboratory derangements are transient, are not predictive of clinically important hemostatic abnormalities, and should not be used in isolation to guide the use of blood components in these patients. Furthermore, although bleeders received more blood components, there was surprisingly little effect on the coagulation factor levels measured.

Adult renal epithelial neoplasms

The consideration of adult renal epithelial neoplasms is no longer limited to renal adenocarcinoma, but also includes oncocytoma, chromophobe carcinoma, renal papillary neoplasms, collecting duct carcinoma, and neuroendocrine tumors. The recent application of classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques, particularly the studies of Kovacs and colleagues, has provided a biologic basis for this new classification. This review discusses the clinical and pathologic characteristics of these entities, with attention to differential diagnosis. Prognostic factors in renal adenocarcinoma are also discussed.

Detection of immunophenotypic abnormalities in paraffin-embedded B-lineage non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

The authors analyzed the frequency of immunophenotypic abnormalities in 1,474 cases of routinely fixed, paraffin-embedded B-lineage non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. B-lineage was determined by immunoreactivity for CD20 (L26, 92%); CD45RA (4KB5, an additional 3%) or immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain restriction (remaining 5%). CD45RA was found to be especially helpful on Bouin's-fixed or decalcified tissue and Ig staining was most helpful in plasmacytoid lesions. Coexpression of the T-cell marker CD43 (Leu-22) was the most common immunophenotypic abnormality, seen in 60% of mantle cell lymphomas (MCL), 39% of CLL/small lymphocytic lymphomas, 16% of diffuse large cell lymphomas (DLCL), but only 5% of follicular lymphomas (FL). Antibodies to CD45RO (A6 and UCHL1) and CD3 (polyclonal) were useful in distinguishing infiltrating T cells from B cells coexpressing CD43. Ig light chain restriction was the next commonest immunophenotypic abnormality, which was identified in 67% of plasmacytoid diffuse small cell lymphomas, 43% of MCLs, 35% of monocytoid B-cell lymphomas and 28% of FLs. Overexpression of bcl-2 oncogenic protein was observed in 71% of FLs (n = 96), but not in a control group of reactive follicular hyperplasias (n = 34). Combining two criteria increased the sensitivity of immunodiagnosis in certain circumstances.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated natural killer-large granular lymphocyte leukemia

We describe the first case of an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated natural killer-large granular lymphocyte (NK-LGL) leukemia in the United States to the best of our knowledge. A 29-year-old woman of Japanese descent developed EBV infection after a blood transfusion as indicated by a rise in serum antibody titers. Peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate smears demonstrated increased LGLs. Flow cytometry showed that these cells expressed NK-associated surface antigens. Cytogenetic analysis of the bone marrow aspirate showed two distinct but related clones with multiple copies of a modified 7 marker chromosome. Death followed colonic perforation. Findings at necropsy included bone marrow lymphocytosis and erythrophagocytosis, a mononucleosis-like lymphadenitis, atypical hepatitis with a mixed, predominantly T-cell infiltrate, interstitial pneumonitis, and multiorgan system vasculitis with perforation of the transverse colon. Epstein-Barr virus transcripts were identified in lymphocytes infiltrating liver and peripheral nerve by in situ hybridization. In addition, Southern blot analyses showed monoclonal bands superimposed on oligoclonal ladders of EBV termini in liver and lymph node. The identical episomal form of EBV was found in the bone marrow, lymph node, and liver. No immunoglobulin (Ig), T-cell receptor beta, or T-cell receptor gamma chain gene rearrangements were identified. These studies support the hypothesis that the LGL population was a neoplastic EBV-related clonal proliferation of NK cells.

Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma. We examined whether this infection is also a risk factor for primary gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

METHODS

This nested case-control study involved two large cohorts (230,593 participants). Serum had been collected from cohort members and stored, and all subjects were followed for cancer. Thirty-three patients with gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were identified, and each was matched to four controls according to cohort, age, sex, and date of serum collection. For comparison, 31 patients with nongastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from one of the cohorts were evaluated, each of whom had been previously matched to 2 controls. Pathological reports and specimens were reviewed to confirm the histologic type of the tumor. Serum samples from all subjects were tested for H. pylori IgG by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Thirty-three cases of gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurred a median of 14 years after serum collection. Patients with gastric lymphoma were significantly more likely than matched controls to have evidence of previous H. pylori infection (matched odds ratio, 6.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.0 to 19.9). The results were similar in both cohorts. Among the 31 patients with nongastric lymphoma, a median of six years had elapsed between serum collection and the development of disease. No association was found between nongastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and previous H. pylori infection (matched odds ratio, 1.2; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.5 to 3.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma affecting the stomach, but not other sites, is associated with previous H. pylori infection. A causative role for the organism is plausible, but remains unproved.

Infantile histiocytoid cardiomyopathy--myocardial or conduction system hamartoma: what is the cell type involved?

Primary myocardial diseases in the pediatric age group encompass a variety of metabolic, infectious, congenital, and acquired disorders, one of which is "histiocytoid cardiomyopathy." We describe clinical and pathologic features in two infants. Autopsy findings in the first case were consistent with sudden cardiac death. The second infant has survived for 2 years on antiarrhythmic therapy with amiodarone. Microscopically, cells with vacuolated to granular cytoplasm were grouped in fascicles, imparting a pseudonodular appearance, but following a distribution reminiscent of conduction fibers. Ultrastructurally, the cells lack a T-tubule system, possess scattered lipid droplets and desmosomes rather than side-to-side junctions, and contain leptomeric fibrils that predominantly marginate to the cell periphery without sarcomeres. Immunostaining of paraffin-embedded tissue reveals perimembranous immunoreactivity for muscle-specific actin, but not for the histiocytic markers CD68 (KP1) and lysozyme. Immunohistochemistry may be a practical alternative when tissue is not saved for electron microscopy. The clinical and pathologic features of this disorder in light of the current literature suggest that it may be hamartoma, possibly of conduction system origin.

Major histocompatibility complex class I and class II antigen expression in diffuse large cell and large cell immunoblastic lymphomas. Absence of a correlation between antigen expression and clinical outcome

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I (HLA-A, B, C) and class II (HLA-DR) antigens are involved in cell-to-cell recognition and in regulating the immune response. Others have shown previously that MHC class I and class II antigens may be absent in a subset of malignant lymphomas, prompting the hypothesis that the absence of MHC antigen expression may be one of the mechanisms involved in the growth and dissemination of malignant lymphomas (by allowing a neoplasm to escape immune surveillance). To address this hypothesis, we analyzed MHC class I and class II (HLA-DR) antigen expression by diffuse large cell and large cell immunoblastic lymphomas in 88 and 117 patients, respectively, using frozen sections and the monoclonal antibodies W6/32 (HLA-A, B, C), anti-beta 2-microglobulin, and L203 (HLA-DR). Although there were no statistically significant clinical differences by MHC class II antigen expression, a small group of patients with MHC class I antigen-negative lymphomas were significantly younger (P = 0.03), less often had small neoplasms (P = 0.03), and were treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy more frequently (P = 0.04) than those with antigen-positive lymphomas. However, neither MHC class I nor class II antigen expression by the lymphomas consistently correlated with patient survival or freedom from relapse. This lack of correlation was true for all patients assessed, as well as for the subsets of patients with B-cell lymphomas, T-cell neoplasms, or those treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy. In accordance with previously published studies, stage, presence of B symptoms, and treatment with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy were of prognostic importance in univariate or multivariate analyses for survival or freedom from relapse. The findings may be considered evidence against the hypothesis that the absence of MHC class I or II antigen expression by malignant lymphomas plays a role in their tumorigenicity. However, we cannot completely exclude the possibility that the therapies used for this group of patients may have obscured any effect that MHC antigen expression exerts on prognosis.

Lymphocytes infiltrating primary cutaneous neoplasms selectively express the cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA)

The cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA) is the T-cell ligand for E-selectin and is involved in tissue selective migration of memory/effector T cells to chronic inflammatory sites in skin. Here, we examine the hypothesis that CLA is also involved in the local host immune response to cutaneous neoplasms. Eleven primary cutaneous melanomas, nine primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, and 11 assorted neoplasms metastatic to cutaneous and noncutaneous sites were immunostained with anti-CLA (HECA-452), as well as antibodies directed against B cells (CD20), T/NK cells (CD43), and memory/effector T cells (CD45RO). Essentially all of the lymphocytes surrounding and infiltrating both the cutaneous and noncutaneous tumors were CD43+/CD20-, and most expressed the memory/effector marker CD45RO. CLA was expressed on 10 to 80% (mean: 50%) of T cells associated with primary cutaneous neoplasms (including both melanomas and squamous cell carcinomas) but was essentially absent from noncutaneous primaries (including those metastatic to dermis) and from cutaneous primaries metastatic to dermis or other sites. Overall, the results suggest that CLA+memory T cells are a major component of the local host immune response to cutaneous neoplasms and are likely recruited to the skin by site-specific rather than tumor-specific mechanisms. The lack of a CLA+T-cell response to dermal metastases suggests that epidermal involvement may be required to attract this subset.

Coexistence of nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease and Hodgkin's disease of the usual type

Recent literature suggests that usual Hodgkin's disease (nodular sclerosing and mixed cellularity types or UHD) and nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease (NLPHD) may be distinct clinical and pathologic entities. Thus, coexistence of NLPHD and UHD in the same patient is expected to be rare. We undertook a review of cases accessioned as NLPHD and UHD in the Laboratory of Surgical Pathology at Stanford University Hospital between January 1980 and May 1992 and found five patients with UHD that predated, followed, or coexisted with lesions histologically typical of NLPHD. All of the patients were male with ages ranging from 10 to 30 years at presentation (median, 22 years; mean, 22.2 years). The sites initially involved by disease were primarily peripheral lymph nodes in the region of the head and neck: cervical (three), supraclavicular (one), submandibular (one). One patient presented with mixed-cellularity Hodgkin's disease (MCHD), two with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin's disease including the cellular phase, one with NLPHD, and the remaining patient presented with a composite malignancy comprising MCHD and NLPHD. Development of the second lymphoma was associated with a somewhat more variable distribution of nodal involvement. The morphologic features in each biopsy specimen resembled either typical NLPHD or UHD, except for one case in which cells with features of both Reed-Sternberg cells and lymphocytic and histiocytes cells were identified. However, the immunophenotypic profiles obtained with a panel of monoclonal antibodies remained distinct for all cases studied. None of the cases showed reactivity with antibodies against the Epstein-Barr-virus latent membrane protein. Thus, NLPHD and UHD maintain a distinct phenotype, even when occurring in the same patient. A second conclusion is that the utility of Leu-7 (CD57) reactivity in distinguishing NLPHD applies to problematic as well as classic cases. Finally, Epstein-Barr virus is not implicated in NLPHD cases associated with UHD.

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency with renal deposition of 2,8-dihydroxyadenine leading to nephrolithiasis and chronic renal failure

Homozygous adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency is a genetic defect that is associated with 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis. Since the prevalence of the heterozygous state is found in 0.4% to 1.2% of the population, it is surprising that more cases of 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis have not been reported. Herein we describe a patient with complete adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency with 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis leading to chronic renal failure. Gene sequencing revealed that the patient is a compound heterozygote. One of the mutations (a T insertion between bases 346 and 347) has been encountered before, but the second (a G-to-A substitution at base 1356) has not been previously reported. Possible explanations for the unexpected rarity of 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis are discussed.

Stage I renal cell carcinoma. A clinicopathologic study of 82 cases

Stage has been established as the most important predictor of prognosis in renal cell carcinoma. The predictive value of other morphologic features is less well established. Therefore, in this study we assessed morphologic parameters in 82 Robson stage I renal cell carcinomas. Insufficient numbers of T1 lesions were present in this series to permit a confident comparison of Robson staging with the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer-American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) staging. Morphologic parameters--including size, character of cytoplasm, nuclear grade, and pelvic invasion--were studied. Both univariate survival analysis and multivariate or tree-structured survival analysis (TSSA) were employed, with disease-free survival and actuarial survival as end points. Nuclear grade was the most important predictor of prognosis in stage I neoplasms by TSSA. Nuclear grade greater than 2 correlated with significantly shorter survival (p = 0.018). Stage I tumors measuring less than 5.0 cm by survival analysis (or 6.0 cm by TSSA) were associated with improved disease-free survival (p = 0.040), although TSSA indicated that the effect was pronounced only in low-grade neoplasms. The character of cell cytoplasm was not independent of nuclear grade (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.028). The contingency table indicated disproportionate numbers of grade 4 mixed cell tumors, grade 3 granular cell tumors, and low-grade clear cell tumors. By TSSA, younger patients with low-grade but larger tumors had a poor clinical outcome. Elderly patients with high-grade tumors had the worst overall survival. None of the other clinical parameters or architectural pattern correlated with survival or disease-free survival. When nuclear grade was combined with tumor size and age at diagnosis in a decision tree, patients with stage I neoplasms were separated into favorable, intermediate, and poor prognosis groups.

Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity distinguishes nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma

Several recent reports have suggested that nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease (NLPHD) may be distinct from other forms of Hodgkin's disease and may be more closely related to B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is primarily based on immunophenotypic studies that have shown that the L & H cells in NLPHD demonstrate a B-cell phenotype. In 1989, Poppema reported that the T cells in NLPHD differ from T cells in other forms of Hodgkin's disease in that they demonstrate reactivity for Leu 7 (CD57). In this study we tested the hypothesis that Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity of small lymphocytes in NLPHD is an immunophenotypic feature that distinguishes NLPHD from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease and from certain B-cell lymphomas that may histologically simulate NLPHD, namely T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. Using an image analysis method, we found Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity in an average of 18.9% of the small lymphocytes in the nodules of NLPHD compared with 3.9% in nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, 4.3% in T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma, and 2.1% in follicular lymphoma. Moreover, Leu 7 (CD57)-reactive small lymphocytes often showed a distinctive pattern in NLPHD, forming a ring of cells around the large L & H cells. While scattered Leu 7 (CD57)-reactive lymphocytes were found in the other disorders, the percentage of reactive cells and the pattern of reactivity were significantly different in NLPHD. These results suggest that Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity may be used as an additional immunophenotypic criterion in distinguishing NLPHD from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma. The clinical and biological significance of Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity of small lymphocytes in NLPHD merits further investigation.

Estimation of tumor growth fractions in archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues using two anti-PCNA/Cyclin monoclonal antibodies. Factors affecting reactivity

Immunohistochemical detection of cell cycle-related markers for estimation of tumor growth fractions using paraffin-embedded tissue sections would have applications in experimental and clinical pathology as an in situ histologic alternative to flow cytometry. The monoclonal antibodies 19A2 and PC10 detect the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA/Cyclin), an auxiliary protein to DNA polymerase-delta. In a prospective group of uniformly handled, formalin-fixed malignant lymphomas we previously demonstrated 19A2 to be a reliable marker of proliferative activity similar to Ki-67 in frozen tissue. The present study examines the applicability of this technique in archival formalin-fixed material. Studies on tonsilar tissue revealed that formalin fixation beyond 30 hours adversely affected reactivity of 19A2, possibly explaining the variable results in nonuniformly fixed archival material. We found that only 27 (56%) of 48 archival cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma showed sufficient reactivity with 19A2 to permit reliable quantification of the tumor growth fraction. Acid pretreatment with 2N HCl had no apparent effect on 19A2 reactivity. Using both antibodies on a group of 32 archival lymphomas, carcinomas, and sarcomas, significantly more biopsies stained reliably for PC10 (84%) than for 19A2 (72%; P < 0.036). Further, none of the cases that did not react with PC10 reacted with 19A2. PC10 may recognize a different epitope of PCNA/Cyclin which may be more resistant to alterations by fixation. In the 23 cases that reliably stained for both markers, largely carcinomas, there was excellent correlation between estimated growth fractions (r = 0.96). Although immunostaining provides a useful way to estimate tumor growth fractions in paraffin-embedded tissues, modifications of technique and cautious interpretation of results are advisable when using archival material.

Renal insufficiency secondary to 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis

A 48-year-old man with a history of recurrent urolithiasis and chronic renal failure underwent a nephrectomy for a renal mass. At surgery the mass proved to be a calculus impacted in a dilated calyx. Gross examination of the kidney revealed chalky white deposits in the deep medulla and papillary tips. Histologic examination revealed chronic interstitial nephritis with brown spicules within some tubular epithelial cells and larger deposits of brown crystals within tubular lumina, the interstitium of the medulla, and papillary tips. Polarization microscopy revealed individual crystals scattered throughout the renal parenchyma. Although the arrangement of the crystals was reminiscent of uric acid, and, in fact, a clinical diagnosis of gouty nephropathy was made, x-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated crystals of 2,8-dihydroxyadenine. Enzymatic studies confirmed the complete absence of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase activity in erythrocyte lysates.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate in patients undergoing radical cystoprostatectomy

To assess the impact of prostatic involvement with transitional cell carcinoma we reviewed the clinical outcome of 49 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate. In addition, 115 step-sectioned cystoprostatectomy specimens removed for bladder transitional cell carcinoma were studied to determine the true incidence of secondary prostatic involvement by transitional cell carcinoma. Specimens from 300 prostates removed for prostatic adenocarcinoma also were reviewed to investigate the presence of incidental transitional cell carcinoma arising within the prostate. Transitional cell carcinoma was found in 29% of the step-sectioned specimens and in none of the radical prostatectomy specimens. The presence of prostatic invasion either into the stroma or involving prostatic ducts and acini only had no adverse effect on outcome. Lymph node status and bladder stage, and not prostatic invasion were the determining factors of survival. The presence of seminal vesicle involvement or prostatic stromal invasion appeared to predict for lymph node involvement. With a mean followup of more than 3 years 75% of our patients who had negative lymph nodes and low stage bladder lesions are alive without evidence of disease. In our series prostatic involvement by transitional cell carcinoma did not impact on survival when patients were treated aggressively with radical cystoprostatectomy.

27-year mortality in the Western Collaborative Group Study: construction of risk groups by recursive partitioning

The relationship of selected biological and behavioral characteristics measured at baseline examination to 27-year mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD), cancers of all sites, and total mortality in the 3154 men that form the Western Collaborative Group Study was investigated using tree-structured survival analysis or recursive partitioning (RP). Intake (1960-61) characteristics included in the present analyses were age, serum cholesterol, systolic blood pressure (SBP), cigarette smoking, body mass index (BMI), Type A/B behavior, and behavioral hostility. Tree-structured survival analysis for CHD mortality partitioned the cohort into six groups and identified five groups with distinct survival experience. Exceptionally high CHD mortality rates (17.3 and 14.6 per thousand) were experienced by 89 older men with elevated hostility ratings and SBP less than or equal to 150, and 238 men whose initial SBP was greater than 150 mmHg. Younger men (age less than or equal to 48) with SBP less than or equal to 150 and with serum cholesterol levels greater than 227 had a death rate of 4.8 per thousand, compared with a rate of 1.7 in similar men with lower cholesterol levels. Applied to 27-year cancer mortality, the RP algorithm partitioned the cohort into four distinct survival groups. Younger (age less than 45) Type B men had superior survival compared with Type A men of similar ages, and the proportion of ever cigarette smokers in these two groups was not statistically different. The results obtained by tree-structured survival analyses were compared with results obtained by Cox regression survival analyses.

Numbers of host "helper" T cells and proliferating cells predict survival in diffuse small-cell lymphomas

Diffuse small-cell lymphomas of B-lineage comprise a group of immunophenotypically related lymphoid malignancies that display variable clinical aggressiveness. We compared a variety of clinical, pathologic, and immunologic characteristics of 64 B-lineage diffuse small-cell lymphomas to patient survival in an effort to define prognostically relevant subtypes of these neoplasms. Neither clinical parameters nor histological subclassification correlated with patient outcome. In contrast, three immunologic features of these lymphomas showed a statistically significant relationship with actuarial survival. Neoplasms that manifested greater than or equal to 25% Ki-67+ cells (proliferation-associated antigen), less than 25% Leu 4+ cells (pan-T antigen), or less than 15% Leu 3+ cells (helper/inducer T-subset antigen) were associated with significantly decreased patient survival as compared to neoplasms with the reverse phenotype (P = .02, P = .003, P = .0005, respectively). Leu 3 findings were of particular importance in initial biopsies (P = .0007), while the Ki-67 findings were significant regardless of time of biopsy (P = .01 for biopsies at diagnosis and P = .004 for other biopsies). These data indicate that immunologic analysis can demonstrate subsets of diffuse small-cell lymphoma with different biologic potential, and suggest that such analysis be included in the routine work-up of patients with this type of neoplasm.

Renal cell carcinoma. Prognostic significance of morphologic parameters in 121 cases

Morphologic parameters were correlated with survival in 121 renal cortical neoplasms including 116 carcinomas and five oncocytomas. An increasing nuclear grade was generally correlated with a significant decrease in disease-free survival although no statistical difference was found between nuclear Grade 1 and 2 tumors. Similarly, a higher stage at diagnosis predicted a shorter disease-free survival. Renal vein invasion adversely affected prognosis only for high nuclear grade carcinomas. Papillary and spindled carcinomas, independent of nuclear grade, were associated with a significant decrease in disease-free survival compared to tumors with a solid pattern. Patients with large neoplasms (greater than 10 cm) had a significantly worse disease-free survival than patients with tumors 10 cm or less. The prognostic significance of tumor cell type is less clear. Patients with oncocytomas had the best disease-free survival compared with patients with tumors of other cell types. However, the difference in survival was not statistically significant for low-grade tumors, suggesting that nuclear grade rather than cell type may be the more important determinant.

"Well-differentiated" lymphocytic neoplasms. Immunologic findings correlated with clinical presentation and morphologic features

The authors studied 48 cases of well-differentiated lymphocytic neoplasms using a panel of monoclonal antibodies applied to frozen sections. Forty-seven tumors expressed monotypic immunoglobulin, one or more B-lineage antigens, and Ia (HLA-DR) antigen. Proliferation centers expressed the T9 antigen and increased numbers of Ki-67-positive cells. One tumor was of T-cell origin, had a cytotoxic/suppressor cell phenotype, and showed anomalous loss of Leu-1 antigen. Immunophenotypic findings were correlated to the clinical presentation and morphologic features of each neoplasm. Sixteen tumors were associated with peripheral lymphocytosis (greater than 4000/cu mm), 13 biopsies were obtained from extranodal sites, 16 tumors had proliferation centers, and 11 neoplasms had plasmacytoid features. The authors found no absolute and few statistically significant immunologic differences between the B-cell tumors according to their clinical presentation or morphologic features. Tumors associated with peripheral lymphocytosis more commonly expressed the Leu-1 antigen (P less than 0.01) and IgD (P less than 0.01) and less frequently were stained by BA-2 (P less than 0.05) and OKT9 (P less than 0.05). Plasmacytoid neoplasms more frequently expressed the Tac (P less than 0.01) and T9 antigens (P less than 0.05), and all expressed kappa light chain (P less than 0.05). Extranodal neoplasms more commonly expressed IgM (P less than 0.01). In contrast to the markedly different clinical presentation and morphologic appearance these tumors may have, the immunologic data suggest that B-cell small lymphocytic neoplasms are relatively homogeneous. For an individual case, immunophenotype does not predict clinical presentation or morphologic features.

Low-grade renal cell carcinoma. A clinicopathologic study of 53 cases

Fifty-three low-grade renal cell carcinomas and oncocytomas were reviewed to assess the prognostic significance of nuclear grade (grade 1 versus grade 2), character of cell cytoplasm, size, and stage. Twelve of 46 patients (27%) with follow-up died of disease. Stage 4 disease (most often, extensive local spread) best predicted decreased survival. The survival of patients with stage 1, 2, and 3 tumors was similar; and renal vein invasion was not an adverse prognostic indicator. Size also appeared to predict patient survival; tumors greater than 10 cm metastasized at a higher rate than neoplasms 5 cm or less. We were unable to demonstrate statistically significant differences in survival between individuals with grade 1 and 2 neoplasms, nor were we able to demonstrate a statistically significant difference in survival on the basis of the character of the cell cytoplasm. However, there was a trend toward better survival for patients with granular cell carcinomas and oncocytomas as opposed to neoplasms with clear or mixed cell cytoplasm. Although the number of patients with granular cell carcinomas and oncocytomas is small, the data suggest that the distinction between low-grade granular cell carcinomas and oncocytomas adds little prognostic information.