Histopathological Spectrum of Neoplastic and Non Neoplastic Brain Lesions at a Tertiary Care Centre in South India- A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: Brain lesions can be caused by varied etiological factors like neoplastic, infectious, inflammatory and vascular diseases. Accurate diagnosis in very important for correct neurosurgical treatment. A retrospective histopathological study of brain lesions is of utmost importance because as it can demonstrate the changes in the spectrum of brain lesions, burden of disease in the community, can reveal the possible risk factors and can suggest probable treatment methods for various neoplastic and non neoplastic brain lesions. Aim: To evaluate the incidence, age distribution, gender distribution, and histopathological spectrum of neoplastic and non neoplastic lesions of brain. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Pathology at Narayana Medical College, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India, from January 2019 to December 2021. Total 216 cases were studied. The tumours were classified under World Health Organisation (WHO) classification. To test the mean difference between the groups, Independent sample t-test was done. Results: Out of 216 cases, 180 (83%) were neoplastic and 36 (17%) were non neoplastic lesions. The male:female ratio was 1.03:1. Non neoplastic lesions were common in males (22, 61.11%), while neoplastic lesions were common in females (92, 51.11%). The most common age group affected was 41-50 years (55, 25.46%). Astrocytoma (41, 22.77%) followed by meningioma (40, 22.22%) were the common neoplastic tumours and haematoma (7, 19.44%) was the most common non neoplastic lesion in adults. Common tumour in children (<18 years) was diffuse fibrillary astrocytoma (3/11, 27.27%) and chronic inflammatory pathology was the common non neoplastic lesion (2/11, 18.18%). Conclusion: Majority of cases were seen in 41-50 years age group. Astrocytoma was the common neoplastic tumour and haematoma was the common non neoplastic lesion in adults. Diffuse fibrillary astrocytoma was the common tumour and chronic inflammatory pathology was the common non neoplastic lesion in children

Expression of Her2/neu in Urothelial Neoplasms and its Association with Histopathological Prognostic Parameters

Background & Aims: Bladder carcinoma is the second common malignancy of the urogenital system. Bladder malignancy encompasses 5.2% of all forms of cancer. According to study, Her2/neu expression can be considered as a prognostic clinical biomarker for bladder cancer. Target therapy using novel and recombinant chemodrugs such as transtuzumab can be applied in Her2/neu positive cases. Current study aimed to evaluate urothelial neoplasms incidence, to assess Her2/neu expression, and to compare its expression with prognostic factors. Materials & Methods: The present study is a prospective study conducted in the Department of Pathology, Narayana Medical College and General Hospital, Nellore, India, for a period of 2 years from June 2019 to June 2021. All the urothelial neoplasm cases reported during the study period were included, and Her2/neu immunohistochemistry has been assessed for the cases. Results: Among 71 bladder specimens, 48 had urothelial carcinomas (54% of high grade and 46% of low grade), and 20 had benign neoplasms. Among high-grade carcinomas, 91% were muscle invasive and among low grade, 55% were non-muscle invasive. Lateral wall is the common site of urothelial carcinoma. The mean age for high-grade carcinomas was 61-70 years, and it was associated with higher grades and stages of the tumor. In high grade and low-grade carcinomas, males outnumbered females. A significant correlation observed between tumor grade and stage. A significant association was found between Her2/neu overexpression with the grade and size of the tumor. No association was found between Her2/neu expression and age, gender, stage, and invasion. Conclusion: It is concluded that identifying the expression of Her2/neu in urothelial carcinoma can help identify eligible candidates for targeted therapy