Primary lacrimal sac melanoma: a case report describing the novel use of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for diagnosis, together with literature review and immunotherapy treatment update

Primary lacrimal sac melanoma (PLSM) is exceedingly rare and associated with high morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, PLSM often presents insidiously resulting in delayed detection and poor prognosis. A 69-year-old Black man was suspected of having a lacrimal sac tumour following presentation with a left sided watery eye, bloody tears, and a lacrimal mass. Due to the patient's implantable pacemaker, defibrillator, and high anticoagulation, an ultrasound-guided FNAC was performed instead of incisional biopsy, revealing a PLSM. Diagnosis was confirmed following complete tumour resection with free flap reconstruction and neck dissection. Unfortunately, disease progression ensued despite further neck dissection and three cycles of both pembrolizumab and iplimumab. This is the first description of FNAC to accurately diagnose PLSM and highlights its use as an accurate, rapid, and minimally invasive technique that may allow an earlier screening diagnosis of lacrimal sac tumours. We also discuss the outcome of immunotherapy in recent similar cases.

A comprehensive characterisation of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma tumours through histone protein profiling, DNA methylation and transcriptomic analysis genome wide

BACKGROUND

Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumours. Pathogenic variants have been identified in more than 15 susceptibility genes; associated tumours are grouped into three Clusters, reinforced by their transcriptional profiles. Cluster 1A PPGLs have pathogenic variants affecting enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, including succinate dehydrogenase. Within inherited PPGLs, these are the most common. PPGL tumours are known to undergo epigenetic reprograming, and here, we report on global histone post-translational modifications and DNA methylation levels, alongside clinical phenotypes.

RESULTS

Out of the 25 histone post-translational modifications examined, Cluster 1A PPGLs were distinguished from other tumours by a decrease in hyper-acetylated peptides and an increase in H3K4me2. DNA methylation was compared between tumours from individuals who developed metastatic disease versus those that did not. The majority of differentially methylated sites identified tended to be completely methylated or unmethylated in non-metastatic tumours, with low inter-sample variance. Metastatic tumours by contrast consistently had an intermediate DNA methylation state, including the ephrin receptor EPHA4 and its ligand EFNA3. Gene expression analyses performed to identify genes involved in metastatic tumour behaviour pin-pointed a number of genes previously described as mis-regulated in Cluster 1A tumours, as well as highlighting the tumour suppressor RGS22 and the pituitary tumour-transforming gene PTTG1.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined transcriptomic and DNA methylation analyses revealed aberrant pathways, including ones that could be implicated in metastatic phenotypes and, for the first time, we report a decrease in hyper-acetylated histone marks in Cluster 1 PPGLs.

Sarcoidosis following COVID infection: A case series

Here we describe three cases of sarcoidosis which were diagnosed following COVID infection. Treating clinicians should consider post-COVID-19 sarcoidosis in their differential, as it represents a potentially treatable cause of persistent symptomatology.

A Problem of Classification: 2 Cases of Epstein-Barr Virus + Primary Cutaneous Plasmacytoma Arising in Immunocompetent Elderly Patients

ABSTRACT

Primary extramedullary plasmacytoma is rare monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells, which arise in various nonosseous anatomic locations without detectable underlying systemic disease. Historically, cutaneous infiltrates rich in mature neoplastic plasma cells have fallen into one of the following categories, plasmacytoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, and marginal zone lymphoma, which included immunocytoma. Since 2005, each of these was subsumed under the marginal zone lymphoma umbrella, largely on the basis of acknowledged diagnostic difficulties in some of these cases. We describe 2 cases in which the cutaneous infiltrates consisted of a pure population of light chain-restricted mature plasma cells in the absence of any other evidence for a marginal zone proliferation, or evidence of extracutaneous involvement, including a paraprotein. We propose that primary cutaneous plasmacytoma is the accurate diagnosis and is consistent with wider nomenclature. The unusual observation of widespread Epstein-Barr virus expression in both tumors is also discussed.

Clinicopathological characterisation of myeloproliferative neoplasm-unclassifiable (MPN-U): a retrospective analysis from a large UK tertiary referral centre

Myeloproliferative neoplasm-unclassifiable (MPN-U) presents an MPN-type phenotype that fails to meet diagnostic criteria for other MPN variants. Variability in the clinicopathological phenotypes presents many challenges. Amongst a registry cohort of 1512 patients with MPN, 82 with MPN-U were included, with a median (range) age of 49·7 (13-79) years. Albeit heterogeneous, common presentation features included raised lactate dehydrogenase, thrombocytosis and clustered/pleomorphic megakaryocytes on trephine biopsy. Thrombosis was common (21%), necessitating vigilance. The median event-free survival was 11·25 years (95% confidence interval 9·3-not reached), significantly shortened in cases with lower platelet counts (<500 × 10⁹ /l) and a leucocytosis (≥12 × 10⁹ /l) at presentation. Generation of potential MPN-U prognostic scores is required.

Primary Isolated Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma (LPL) of the Stomach: A Case Report

Patient: Male, 47-year-old

Final Diagnosis: LPL of the stomach

Symptoms: Reflux symptoms

Medication:—

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: Oncology

The clinical and pathological panoply of systemic mastocytosis

Mastocytosis is a rare disease with varied presentation, myriad symptomatology and variable prognosis. Most patients present with cutaneous disease and mediator-related symptomatology with a small subset having systemic disease (systemic mastocytosis, SM). A subset of the latter develops synchronous or metachronous haematologic neoplasms (SM-AHN), most commonly chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML). Advanced systemic mastocytosis (ASM) is seen in a relatively small number of patients and is usually associated with organ dysfunction, and may present with hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and ascites with progression to leukaemic transformation (mast cell leukaemia/acute myeloid leukaemia) occurring in a few patients. This paper discusses the clinical and pathologic features of the entire spectrum of SM in adults.

SUN-344 SDHB Immunostaining: Still an Indispensable Tool in Characterising Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

Background: SDHB immunostaining can be used to functionally characterize SDH status in PCC and PGL. Assessing SDHB expression on tumors is inexpensive and can be used as an alternative to genetic testing. More importantly, assessment of SDHB expression can be of value in interpreting Variant of Unknown Significance (VUS) in SDH related genes. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of SDHB immunostaining as an initial screening tool in identifying germline SDH mutations and the value of SDHB assessment in the clinical characterization of our patient cohort. Design: Prospective and retrospective analysis of 57 randomly selected patients with PCC and PGL from the year 1997 to 2018. Setting: In our institution on patients referred from London and South East England including Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Patients: Predominant Caucasian Population with diverse ethnicities. 57 patients - 34 patients (14M & 20F) with PGL and 25 with PCC (15M &10F). Age (mean: 41years at diagnosis with range 9-80 years). 2 patients had both PCC & PGL and multifocal PGLs were identified in few patients with SDHD and SDHB mutation. There were 65 tumors in total included in this study. Intervention: Resected tumor SDHB immunostaining with Sigma prestige antibodies (HPA002868 100UL - Anti-SDHB Rabbit monoclonal antibody) at a dilution of 1:1000. Genetic testing performed on predominant candidate genes. Main outcome measures: Concordance of SDHB loss of expression with presence of pathogenic mutation in candidate SDH genes. Secondarily, to explore SDHB immunostaining in our patient cohort with VUS in candidate genes. Results: SDHB immunostaining was negative in 22/23 tumors in patients with confirmed SDH mutation (false negative = 1 SDHB PCC where it was weak (+)). The staining was positive in 23/24 sporadic tumors, 10/11 VUS (in SDH, MAX and TMEM genes - both PCCs & PGLs), 2/2 PCCs in MEN-2, 2/2 PCCs in NF-1 and 2/3 PCCs in VHL. The negative immunostaining in 1 PGL with VUS in SDHB may imply lack of SDH enzyme activity and hence suggestive of a pathological mutation. The sensitivity is 96% and the specificity approaches 93% if the weak positive SDHB immunostaining with SDHD and VHL tumors were to be considered concordant. The concordance was 95% in the PGL group alone. Conclusions: SDHB immunostaining is a cost effective addition to PGL and PCC tumor characterization and performs with high sensitivity and specificity. SDH functional characterization has an important role in the management of patients who do not satisfy the current criteria for genetic testing (UK genetics testing directory for PCC/PGL). 18% of patients had VUS in a SDH related gene and we have found that SDHB immunostaining provided helpful information to inform follow-up and cascade screening decisions in this group.

Cutaneous Richter syndrome: a better place to transform?

The development of high-grade lymphoma in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is known as Richter syndrome (RS) and is associated with a grave prognosis, with a mean survival of 8 months despite treatment. Cutaneous RS has been described in a handful of cases and may be associated with a better outcome than the more common extracutaneous variants. We review the literature with particular emphasis on pathogenesis, treatment and survival of RS. We postulate that the absence of B symptoms and a normal lactate dehydrogenase level, presumably reflecting localized or limited disease, and a lower tumour burden, may explain the apparently better survival in some patients with cutaneous RS than with extracutaneous variants.