Vaccination is preventing development of placental pathologies in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant patients

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created a serious health problem in pregnant people. We aimed to address whether vaccination can prevent development of placental disease in SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers. METHODS: We reported the pathology findings obtained from routine histopathological examination of placentas of overall 38 cases. RESULTS: We found low prevalence of placental pathology in vaccinated pregnant people with active SARS-CoV-2 infection in comparison to those unvaccinated cases. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination can prevent development of placental pathological lesions and may lower the risk of serious illness in pregnant people

Malignant Ectomesenchymoma of Pelvis in an Infant

Malignant ectomesenchymoma is a rare pediatric soft tissue tumor that contains both neuroectodermal and mesenchymal components. It is frequently found in the pelvis, paratesticular soft tissue, external genitalia and the head-neck region. We present a 12-month-old boywith a recurrent pelvic tumor excised 5 months ago and diagnosed as neuroblastoma. Histological consultation of the initial tumor tissue revealeda biphasic pattern with rhabdomyosarcomatous and neural components. The mesenchymal component was embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma showing desmin, myogenin, and Myo-D1 positivity. The neuroectodermal component was mainly Schwannian stroma stained with S100 antibody andscattered synaptophysin and chromogranin positive ganglion cells were also present. The patient was diagnosed with malignant ectomesenchymoma. A chemotherapy regime was started and surgical approach to the recurrent tumor was planned. We present here a pediatric case of malignant ectomesenchymoma because of its rarity and it is important that this entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis for appropriateclinical management.&nbsp;</p

Seminoma in a case of ovotesticular disease (true Hermaphrodith).

Background &amp; objectives: Ovotesticular disorder is defined as thepresence of both ovaries and testes in the same person, regardless ofkaryotype. Patients with ovotesticular disorder have a higher risk ofdeveloping gonadal neoplasms such as gonadoblastoma or seminomathan the general population.Methods: The karyotype analysis of a 32-year-old male patientwith phenotype who was examined for bilateral abdominal undescendedtestis was 46 XY. In his radiological examination, acomplex internal genital structure compatible with ovotestis wasdetected. The patient whose operation material was examined inour unit is presented with histopathological and clinical features.Results: Macroscopically, the specimen consisted of bilobed gonadalstructures and a single cordial structure adjacent to it. In the histopathologicalexamination, in addition to seminoma, tissues including vesicleseminalis, atrophic testis, tuba uterina, endometrium and endocervixcomponent were seen. Most of the structures thought to belong to thefemale genital tract were not of the usual morphology, possibly due toinsufficient hormonal effect. Immunohistochemical markers contributedgreatly to the distinction of the organs and diagnosis. The patient,who was diagnosed with ovotestis and Stage I seminoma based onhistopathological findings, received a single dose of carboplatin chemotherapyand free of disease at 6th month of follow-up.Conclusion: Ovostesticular disorder is a very rare sex developmentaldisorder, with a 10% risk of germ cell tumour developmentin 46XY and mosaicism cases.As a result, orchiectomy is required in the presence of an undescendedtestis or development of a tumour. Because male andfemale genital organs have similar morphological and immunohistochemicalfeatures, a multidisciplinary approach is requiredfor pathological examination.</p

Clinicopathologic characteristics of BRAF V600K mutant malignant melanoma in comparison with V600E mutant cases: a preliminary study

Background &amp; objectives: BRAF V600K mutation, the second most common mutation in malignant melanoma with a rate of 10-30%, is related to worse response to treatment and adverse prognosis. However, data for comparing V600K/V600E groups for the histopathologic and prognostic features are limited. Methods: A total of 23 malignant melanoma cases with BRAF V600E or BRAF V600K mutations detected by pyrosequencing in our department were retrospectively analysed. The associations between the type of BRAF mutations and histopathologic, clinical and prognostic characteristics were statistically investigated. Results: Of the 23 cases, 7 (30.4%) had V600K and 16 (69.6%) had V600E mutation. Although there was no statistical significance between two groups, most of the cases with V600K mutation were male (85.7%). In BRAF V600K mutant cases, histologic type was mostly superficial spreading melanoma (85.7%), tumour localization was mostly head and neck (57.1%); ulceration and regression were slightly higher. In BRAF V600E mutant group, the number of mitosis (&gt;10/HPF) was higher (81.3%). V600E mutant group was generally more advanced (pT4) at the time of diagnosis (75%). In survival analysis, the estimated survival time was shorter in patients with V600K mutation than those with V600E mutation (17.9 vs 33.2 months). Conclusion: Although it’s a preliminary study and no statistical significance was detected due to the low number of cases, our results emphasize that overall survival time is almost half as short in V600K mutant cases than those with V600E mutation. Considering the prognostic differences, since the double nucleotide change seen in the V600K mutation(GTG to AAG) includes the single nucleotide change seen in the V600E mutation(GTG to GAG), it’s important to be careful in the evaluation to distinguish these two mutations.</p

Clinicopathologic characteristics of BRAF V600K mutant malignant melanoma

Background &amp; objectives: BRAF V600K mutation, the second mostcommon mutation in malignant melanoma with a rate of 10-30%, isrelated to worse response to treatment and adverse prognosis. However,data for comparing V600K/V600E groups for the histopathologic andprognostic features are limited.Methods: A total of 23 malignant melanoma cases with BRAFV600E or BRAF V600K mutations detected by pyrosequencingin our department were retrospectively analysed. The associationsbetween the type of BRAF mutations and histopathologic, clinicaland prognostic characteristics were statistically investigated.Results: Of the 23 cases, 7 (30.4%) had V600K and 16 (69.6%)had V600E mutation. Although there was no statistical significancebetween two groups, most of the cases with V600K mutation weremale (85.7%). In BRAF V600K mutant cases, histologic type wasmostly superficial spreading melanoma (85.7%), tumour localizationwas mostly head and neck (57.1%); ulceration and regressionwere slightly higher. In BRAF V600E mutant group, the numberof mitosis (&gt;10/HPF) was higher (81.3%). V600E mutant groupwas generally more advanced (pT4) at the time of diagnosis (75%).In survival analysis, the estimated survival time was shorter inpatients with V600K mutation than those with V600E mutation(17.9 vs 33.2 months).Conclusion: Although it’s a preliminary study and no statisticalsignificance was detected due to the low number of cases, ourresults emphasize that overall survival time is almost half asshort in V600K mutant cases than those with V600E mutation.Considering the prognostic differences, since the double nucleotidechange seen in the V600K mutation(GTG to AAG) includes thesingle nucleotide change seen in the V600E mutation(GTG toGAG), it’s important to be careful in the evaluation to distinguishthese two mutations.</p

The site of metastatic lymph node has prognostic significance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background &amp; objectives: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas(PDAC) have poor survival rates and prognosis. Important prognosticparameters are; tumour size/stage, metastatic lymph nodes count andvascular invasion. In the current AJCC staging system, there is no recommendationto specify metastatic regional lymph node localization.Methods: Metastatic sites of 82 patients with regional lymphnode metastases out of 101 patients with PDAC who underwentpancreaticoduodenectomy were classified as peripancreatic,perigastric, hepatico-communis, hepatic pedicle and otherregions. Each region’s number of metastatic lymph nodes wasdetermined. The associations between the presence of metastasesin each lymph node region and overall survival and disease-freesurvival were determined statistically.Results: Eighty cases (79.2%) had peripancreatic, 7 cases (6.9%)had perigastric, 6 cases (5.9%) had hepatico-communis, and 7 cases(6.9%) had hepatic pedicle lymph node metastasis.In survival analysis, the estimated overall and disease-free survivaltime were significantly shorter in patients with hepatic pediclelymph node metastasis (35.5 vs 11.24 month; p= 0.001, 18.55months/3.68 months; p &lt;0.001, respectively). Although not significant,the estimated overall survival time was shorter in patientswith hepaticocommunis lymph node metastasis (34.7 months/20.5months; p= 0.32)Hepatic pedicle lymph node metastasis was an independent predictorof mortality (p=0.005) and recurrence (p=0.003) in multivariateanalysis.Conclusion: The presence of hepatic pedicle lymph nodemetastasis is an independent poor prognostic factor for mortalityand recurrence risk, according to our findings. Although notsignificant, patients with hepaticocommunis lymph node metastasishave 14-month shorter life expectancy than those without. Withthese findings, we conclude that the metastatic lymph node sitemay have an impact on the prognosis, and may be included inpathology reports.</p