Abstract Renal carcinogenesis is promoted by overexpression of the activated serine/threonine kinase Akt (p‐Akt) and supposedly a concomitant reduction in phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 tumour suppressor gene (PTEN), which normally inhibits the activation of Akt. Because promising anti‐cancer therapies increasingly focus on pathways involving p‐Akt and PTEN, the present study evaluated the expression of p‐Akt in renal cell carcinomas and compared it with prognosis. P‐Akt and PTEN expression were analysed in a tissue microarray (TMA) from renal cell carcinoma ( n = 386) and adjacent uninvolved renal tissue ( n = 32) specimens. Increased p‐Akt was found more often in the nucleus than in the cytoplasm, and PTEN was concomitantly reduced in about 50% of cases. Neither tumour grade nor stage influenced p‐Akt expression, whereas the clear cell and papillary subtypes showed increased p‐Akt more often than did the chromophobe or sarcomatoid types. Increased cytoplasmic and nuclear p‐Akt levels were independent prognostic factors for diminishing patient survival. The present study found significantly increased nuclear but also cytoplasmic p‐Akt expression in renal cell carcinoma subtypes. Increased nuclear and cytoplasmic p‐Akt was an independent prognostic factor for diminishing patient survival. The considerable number of high‐grade and high‐stage RCC showing increased p‐Akt and reduced PTEN would justify further evaluation of therapeutic concepts based on inhibitors of the PI3K/p‐Akt/mTOR pathway.
We performed comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) on 8 formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded primary spermatocytic seminomas (SS) from 7 patients, one of whom developed metastatic disease. In general, this tumour type is not associated with development of metastases. Since there are only few reported cases of metastatic SS in the literature, this study is the first report of chromosomal constitution in a patient with metastatic disease. Chromosomal imbalances were observed in all 8 tumours analysed by CGH. Frequent copy number alterations were enh(9), dim(16 or 16p), enh(20) and enh(X), each in 6 samples, followed by dim(7) in 4, and enh(1), enh(18) and dim(15), each in 3 samples. In addition to the CGH analysis, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridisation (I-FISH) was applied to evaluate the CGH results and to define the size of the aberrant cell population. Interphase cytogenetics showed gain of material on chromosomes 9 and X in all tumours analysed. Overall, the I-FISH results were in agreement with the CGH data. In conclusion, gain of chromosome 9 seems to be restricted to SS and point to an important role for this aberration in the development of this tumour type.
Journal Article Tissue Section Image Analysis: Comparison of Different Software Releases Get access Mairinger Thomas, MD, Mairinger Thomas, MD Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Gschwendtner Andreas, MD, Gschwendtner Andreas, MD Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Mikuz Gregor, MD, Mikuz Gregor, MD Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Volkhard Kempf Volkhard Kempf Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar American Journal of Clinical Pathology, Volume 101, Issue 5, 1 May 1994, Page 673, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcp/101.5.673 Published: 01 May 1994
Aims
The handling and reporting of testicular tumours is difficult due to their rarity.
Methods and results
A survey developed by the European Network of Uro-Pathology (ENUP) and sent to its members and experts to assess the evaluation of testicular germ cell tumours. Twenty-five experts and 225 ENUP members replied. Areas of disagreement included immaturity in teratomas, reported by 32% of experts but 68% of ENUP. Although the presence of rete testis invasion was reported widely, the distinction between pagetoid and stromal invasion was made by 96% of experts but only 63% of ENUP. Immunohistochemistry was used in more than 50% of cases by 68% of ENUP and 12% of experts. Staging revealed the greatest areas of disagreement. Invasion of the tunica vaginalis without vascular invasion was interpreted as T1 by 52% of experts and 67% of ENUP, but T2 by the remainder. Tumour invading the hilar adipose tissue adjacent to the epididymis without vascular invasion was interpreted as T1: 40% of experts, 43% of ENUP; T2: 36% of experts, 30% of ENUP; and T3: 24% of experts, 27% of ENUP.
Conclusions
There is remarkable consensus in many areas of testicular pathology. Significant areas of disagreement included staging and reporting of histological types, both of which have the potential to impact on therapy.
The deadline for the Abstracts is 31 st May. The abstracts should be no longer than one page, with title, authors, institution, text and references if necessary. They should be sent by e-mail to:
The recent introduction of molecular biology methods to pharmacology, to assess how DNA sequence variations can influence the response of an individual to a drug, has opened new dimensions in the evidence based analysis of goals, risks and benefits of drug therapy. The development of diagnostic test systems to identify patients at increased risk of adverse drug reactions, the application of genomic technologies to drug development, and the clarification of the mechanisms of drug action on cells represent actual challenges for both clinicians and researchers. In this review, we emphasize on the investigative tools of molecular biology-based pharmacology with particular reference to the development of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and new developing trends of this technology. Keywords: restriction fragment length polymorphisms, single nucleotide polymorphisms, polymerase chain reaction, genotyping, dna microarray, pharmacogenomics, pharmacogenetics
Thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of the kidney (TLFC), a rare neoplasm with low malignant potential, is histologically similar to primary thyroid follicular carcinoma, but characteristically lacks thyroid immunohistochemical markers. We report a case of 34-year old patient with nephrolithiasis. Ultrasound revealed hepatorenal cysts consistent with adult type polycystic kidney disease (ATPKD) and a cytologically confirmed left kidney tumor. Nephrectomy specimen contained sharply demarcated lesion of unusual morphology. Tubular and cystic structures lined by mostly cuboidal cells and filled with amorphous eosinophillic material, reminiscent of follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland, were diagnostic for TLFC. Thyroid markers were negative. To our knowledge this is the first report of TFLC associated to ATPKD. Brief review of previously published TFLCs, possible relationship between entities and differential diagnosis are discussed. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/8067946569612694
