Alternative lengthening of telomeres in primary hepatic neoplasms

The alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) phenotype is characterized by ultra-bright telomeres on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and is a marker of a unique mechanism of telomere maintenance in tumors. ALT does not occur in normal tissues. ALT has been described in hepatocellular carcinoma (5-10%) and in primary hepatic angiosarcomas (75%). To study the frequency of ALT in other primary hepatic tumors, a wide range of primary hepatic neoplasms were retrieved. The tumors included the following: intrahepatic and hilar cholangiocarcinomas (N = 110), hepatic adenomas (N = 35), hepatocellular carcinomas (N = 30), fibrolamellar carcinomas (n = 11), combined cholangiocarcinoma-hepatocellular carcinomas (N = 8), carcinosarcoma (N = 10), hepatoblastomas (N = 5), hemangiomas (N = 4), angiosarcomas (N = 8), epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas (N = 10), calcified nested stromal epithelial tumor (N = 2), embryonal sarcoma (N = 2), rhabdoid tumor (N = 1), bile duct adenoma (N = 1), and angiomyolipoma (N = 1). For epithelial tumors, ALT-FISH was positive in one carcinosarcoma (10% of cases), one cholangiocarcinoma (1% of cases), and one combined hepatocellular carcinoma-cholangiocarcinoma (13% of cases). In the hepatocellular carcinoma component of both the carcinosarcoma and the combined hepatocellular carcinoma-cholangiocarcinoma, the tumor cells showed patchy marked nuclear pleomorphism akin to that described previously for chromophobe hepatocellular carcinoma, which are typically ALT FISH positive. The ALT-positive cholangiocarcinoma also showed patchy, striking nuclear pleomorphism. For soft tissue tumors, ALT was positive in two angiosarcomas (N = 2; 25% of cases). In summary, this study shows that ALT-FISH is positive in rare carcinosarcomas, cholangiocarcinomas, and combined cholangiocarcinoma-hepatocellular carcinoma. ALT is not a significant mechanism of telomere maintenance in hepatocellular adenomas or fibrolamellar carcinomas and was negative in all other tested primary hepatic neoplasms. ALT-FISH is also positive in a subset of primary hepatic angiosarcomas.

Low-Grade Oncocytic Tumor of Kidney (CK7-Positive, CD117-Negative): Incidence in a single institutional experience with clinicopathological and molecular characteristics

Low-grade oncocytic tumor of the kidney (LOT) is characterized by cytoplasmic eosinophilia and a CK7-positive/CD117-negative immunophenotype. Morphologically, they exhibit overlapping features with oncocytoma and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. Our aim was to obtain long-term clinical follow-up data, clinicopathological and molecular characteristics, and incidence of LOT. Tissue microarrays were constructed from 574 tumors historically diagnosed as oncocytoma and surgically treated at Mayo Clinic between 1970 and 2012, and immunostained for CK7 and CD117. An extended immunophenotype was obtained on whole slide sections, along with FISH for CCND1 rearrangement status and chromosomal microarray for copy number status. In addition, two cases were retrospectively identified in a set of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-associated neoplasms and three more cases diagnosed on needle core biopsies were obtained during routine clinical practice. Twenty-four cases of LOT were identified among 574 consecutive tumors diagnosed as oncocytoma and treated with partial or radical nephrectomy, corresponding to an incidence of 4.18% of tumors historically diagnosed as oncocytomas, and 0.35% of 6944 nephrectomies performed between 1970 and 2012. Overall, 29 cases of LOT were identified in three clinical settings: sporadic, TSC-associated, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Multifocality was seen only in the setting of TSC and ESRD. No metastases attributable to LOT were identified (median follow-up 9.6 years). There were no recurrent arm level copy number changes detected by chromosomal microarray and all tested cases were negative for CCND1 rearrangement by FISH. LOT is an uncommon eosinophilic renal neoplasm with an indolent prognosis that constitutes ∼4% of tumors historically diagnosed as oncocytoma. The morphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular features of this neoplasm suggest it is a distinct entity of renal neoplasia.

Sole abnormalities of chromosome 7 in myeloid malignancies: spectrum, histopathologic correlates, and prognostic implications

Among 6,565 consecutive abnormal cytogenetic reports at our institution, 3,192 (49%) constituted sole abnormalities, of which 230 (7%) involved chromosome 7: monosomy 7 (n = 98), 7q- (n = 51), der(1;7)(q10;p10) (n = 44), balanced translocations (n = 15), ring 7 (n = 13), and 7p- (n = 9). The most frequent histopathologic correlates were myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS; 28%), acute myeloid leukemia (AML; 17%), secondary or therapy-related MDS/AML (13%), primary myelofibrosis (PMF; 7%), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (6%). Monosomy 7 was the most frequent in each one of these disease categories except PMF where 7q- was more frequent. In primary MDS, patients with der(1;7)(q10;p10) (n = 13), compared to those with monosomy 7 (n = 30) or 7q- (n = 15), were less likely (P = 0.04) to display excess blasts or multilineage dysplasia but overall and leukemia-free survival adjusted for these variables revealed no significant difference between the three groups (P = 0.57 and 0.81, respectively). The current study does not prognostically distinguish monosomy 7 from 7q- or der(1;7), in MDS.

TP53 mutations and polymorphisms in primary myelofibrosis

A total of 107 patients with chronic-phase primary myelofibrosis (PMF) were screened for TP53 mutations, which were detected in 4 (4%) cases: (i) E204E; GAG>GAA (silent exon 6); (ii) G245D; GGC>GAC (exon 7); (iii) R175H; CGC>CAC (exon 5); and (iv) six base insert (GGCGAG) after bp13767 (exon 6). Three (75%) of the four TP53-mutated cases also carried JAK2V617F whereas none were positive for MPL or IDH mutations. Two of the four TP53 mutated cases were also screened for TET2, ASXL1, DNMT3A, and EZH2 mutations and were negative. There was no significant difference in presenting features or survival between TP53 mutated and unmutated cases. TP53 exon 4 single nucleotide polymporphism (SNPs) data for codon 72 were available on 104 patients and included 56% with homozygous Arg72Arg, 33% with heterozygous Pro72Arg, and 11% with homozygous Pro72Pro. There were no significant differences among the three codon 72 genotypes in terms of presenting characteristics or survival.

Autosomal monosomies among 24,262 consecutive cytogenetic studies: prevalence, chromosomal distribution and clinicopathologic correlates of sole abnormalities

Monosomal karyotype (MK) has recently been associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). The objectives of the current study were to describe the prevalence and spectrum of autosomal monosomies in an unselected cohort of patients with known or suspected hematologic malignancies. Bone marrow cytogenetic studies (24,262) were performed at our institution between 1989 and 2009. An abnormal karyotype was demonstrated in 6,565 cases (~27%); of these, 1,365 (~21%) included autosomal monosomies that occurred as sole (n = 133; ~10%), part of two (n = 82; ~6%) or more (n = 1,150; ~84%) anomalies. All 22 autosomes were involved, but monosomy 7 was by far the most frequent, constituting ~80% of all isolated monosomies and the highest fraction of those with two or more abnormalities. Other recurrent sole monosomies included chromosomes 20 (~11%) and 21 (~4%). Monosomy 13 (~10%), 20 (~8%), 18 (~7%), 17 (~6%), 21 (~5%), 5 (~5%), and 12 (~4%) were also recurrent in the setting of ≥2 abnormalities. Bone marrow histology and clinical information were reviewed in all cases with isolated monosomy; associated clinical phenotypes were MDS (n = 60; 52 were -7), AML (n = 32; 31 were -7), myeloproliferative neoplasms (n = 16; 10 were -7), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML; n = 10; 9 were -7) and other nonmyeloid malignancies (n = 15; 4 were -7). Sole monosomy 20 (n = 14; six MDS, five MPN, and three nonmyeloid) was not seen in AML or CMML. Sole monosomy 21 was more frequent in nonmyeloid as opposed to myeloid cases.

The effect of gender and subtype on platelet MAO in alcoholism

Decreased platelet MAO activity has been identified in male alcoholics with suggestions that this is primarily true of Type 2 alcoholics as defined by criteria from the Stockholm Adoption Study. Little information has been available regarding platelet MAO activity in female alcoholics. This study evaluated a group of 71 alcoholics receiving inpatient treatment, including 16 female alcoholics, for platelet MAO activity compared to controls. Female alcoholic's platelet MAO was significantly lower than controls and not different from activity levels in male alcoholics. Among male alcoholics, both Type 1 and Type 2 subgroups were lower than controls and Type 2 levels did not differ from Type 1 levels. Thus, we were unable to replicate a gender and subgroup low platelet MAO specificity among alcoholics, but did find significant differences between alcoholics and controls.

A comparative study of G-induced neck injury in pilots of the F/A-18, A-7, and A-4

The introduction of the high performance F/A-18 into the Navy and Marine Corps units has brought attention to the problem of high +Gx-induced neck pain and injury. Aviators from the Light Attack Wing, Pacific were surveyed and the results were categorized by aircraft type. We found that 74% of F/A-18 aviators surveyed reported neck pain with high +Gz. Out of 37 pilots reporting neck injury, 11 required removal from flight status averaging 3 days. The inability to function effectively during high G flight and the impact of lost pilot days highlight the need for further study into prevalence and solutions for high +Gz-induced neck injury.