Analysis of Sentinel Node Biopsy and Clinicopathologic Features as Prognostic Factors in Patients With Atypical Melanocytic Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Atypical melanocytic tumors (AMTs) include a wide spectrum of melanocytic neoplasms that represent a challenge for clinicians due to the lack of a definitive diagnosis and the related uncertainty about their management. This study analyzed clinicopathologic features and sentinel node status as potential prognostic factors in patients with AMTs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinicopathologic and follow-up data of 238 children, adolescents, and adults with histologically proved AMTs consecutively treated at 12 European centers from 2000 through 2010 were retrieved from prospectively maintained databases. The binary association between all investigated covariates was studied by evaluating the Spearman correlation coefficients, and the association between progression-free survival and all investigated covariates was evaluated using univariable Cox models. The overall survival and progression-free survival curves were established using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 126 months (interquartile range, 104-157 months). All patients received an initial diagnostic biopsy followed by wide (1 cm) excision. Sentinel node biopsy was performed in 139 patients (58.4%), 37 (26.6%) of whom had sentinel node positivity. There were 4 local recurrences, 43 regional relapses, and 8 distant metastases as first events. Six patients (2.5%) died of disease progression. Five patients who were sentinel node-negative and 3 patients who were sentinel node-positive developed distant metastases. Ten-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 97% (95% CI, 94.9%-99.2%) and 82.2% (95% CI, 77.3%-87.3%), respectively. Age, mitotic rate/mm2, mitoses at the base of the lesion, lymphovascular invasion, and 9p21 loss were factors affecting prognosis in the whole series and the sentinel node biopsy subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Age >20 years, mitotic rate >4/mm2, mitoses at the base of the lesion, lymphovascular invasion, and 9p21 loss proved to be worse prognostic factors in patients with ATMs. Sentinel node status was not a clear prognostic predictor

Esophageal cytology in the follow-up of patients with treated upper aerodigestive tract malignancies

BACKGROUND: Patients with an history of carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract are at high risk for recurrence or the development of new tumors in this region. In the majority of follow-up protocols, these patients undergo radiologic and endoscopic evaluation as a means of surveillance for the early detection of recurrence. The brush biopsy-capsule technique represents a noninvasive and inexpensive screening device for this patient population. In the current study, the authors retrospectively assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of esophageal brush-capsule cytology for the detection of malignant lesions of the upper aerodigestive tract in this high risk patient population. METHODS: Cytologic specimens from 334 patients with previously treated upper aerodigestive malignancies were available for review. The cytologic, endoscopic, and clinical follow-up of each case were studied over a follow-up period of 3 years. Gold standard was the clinical follow-up for the negative cases (who were not submitted to biopsy) and biopsy for the positive cases. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value were calculated. RESULTS: Using cytology 33 malignancies were detected in 25 patients during a 3-year follow-up period. The test was found to have a sensitivity of 88.7% and a specificity of 90.7%. In 66% of cases the malignancies were located in the oropharynx; the others were located in the esophagus. In 70% of cases the malignancies were detected at an early stage. CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal brush-capsule cytology is a simple noninvasive technique that has been proven to be useful in the early detection of metachronous and recurrent neoplasms in the follow-up of patients with previously treated carcinomas of the ear, nose, and throa