ModPath Chat

Dr. Dehner discusses his four decades journey with an entity that he first described in 1977. Since his initial description of Pleuropulmonary Blastoma (PPB), the neoplasm has become one of the defining entities of DICER1 Syndrome, a rare autosomal dominant familial tumor predisposition disorder with heterozygous DICER1 germline mutation. A fascinating historical perspective and most informative ModPath Chat episode on the wide spectrum of neoplasms that can be encountered in the syndrome awaits the listener. Study by Dehner et al.DICER1 tumor predisposition syndrome: an evolving story initiated with the pleuropulmonary blastoma. Modern Pathology (2021). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41379-021-00905-8.

The host is joined by Dr. Andres Acosta from the Brigham and Women Hospital. Dr Acosta discusses, on behalf of a distinguished group of coauthors, their recent somewhat provocative modern pathology publication proposing that mesenchymal neoplasms of the prostate are morphologically and molecularly heterogeneous lesions that include neoplasms that harbor genetic aberrations seen in specific mesenchymal tumors arising in other anatomic sites, such as soft tissue and the uterus. Study by Acosta et al, Re-evaluating tumors of purported specialized prostatic stromal origin reveals molecular heterogeneity, including non-recurring gene fusions characteristic of uterine and soft tissue sarcoma subtypes. Modern Pathology, 34, 1763–1779 (2021). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41379-021-00818-6.

In this special "Meet the Expert" episode, two distinguished guests from Johns Hopkins University discuss their pioneering approach of applying methodologies, initially developed for astronomy, to the assessment of biomarkers of tumor microenvironment (TME). The guests are Dr. Janis Taube, director of Dermatopathology at Hopkins, and a co-Director of the TME Core at the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute of Immunotherapy, and Dr. Alex Szalay, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Computer Science at Hopkins and the architect for the Science Archive of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The fascinating discussion focuses on an innovative multiplex imaging platform that they co-developed (AstroPath) for multidimensional assessment of spatially resolved interactions at the single-cell level of lung cancer and melanoma.

In this special “Meet the Expert” episode, two distinguished guests from Johns Hopkins University discuss their pioneering approach of applying methodologies, initially developed for astronomy, to the assessment of biomarkers of tumor microenvironment (TME). The guests are Dr. Janis Taube, director of Dermatopathology at Hopkins, and a co-Director of the TME Core at the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute of Immunotherapy, and Dr. Alex Szalay, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Computer Science at Hopkins and the architect for the Science Archive of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The fascinating discussion focuses on an innovative multiplex imaging platform that they co-developed (AstroPath) for multidimensional assessment of spatially resolved interactions at the single-cell level of lung cancer and melanoma.

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In this episode, Dr. Ian Cree, Head of The WHO Tumour Classification discusses his team's recent open access publication in Modern Pathology. Historically, mitotic figures counting has been done by expressing the number of mitoses per n high power fields (HPFs), ignoring the fact that microscope fields may differ substantially, even at the same high power (×400) magnification. Dr. Cree and coauthors remind all of this variation and its implication on the accuracy of our diagnostic and tumor grading practices. While the expanding adoption of computational digital pathology algorithm will help bring consistency to assessing proliferation activity, our MODPATH Chat guest recommends that counting should be performed per standard international unit of (mm2); with an indication of the area to be counted and the method used ("hotspot" vs "average"). Study by Cree et al, Counting mitoses: SI(ze) matters! Modern Pathology, 34, 1651–1657 (2021). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41379-021-00825-7.

In this episode of MODPATH CHAT, our guests Dr. Natalia Buza and Dr. Pei Hui from the department of Pathology at Yale University share their approach to the application of DNA genotyping to the diagnosis and prognostication of Hydatidiform moles and Gestational trophoblastic tumors. Genotyping is now the gold standard in the confirmation and subtyping of sporadic hydatidiform moles. DNA genotyping is critical to the separation of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia from non-gestational counterparts/mimics of either germ cell or somatic origin. Modern Pathology, 34, 1658–1672 (2021). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41379-021-00831-9.

The prognostic significance of regression has long been a matter of debate. Our guest, Professor Richard Scolyer, co-director of the Melanoma Institute Australia discussed his team’s recent findings on the prognostic value of regression, and the presence of regression and/or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in primary cutaneous melanomas predicted sentinel lymph node (SLN) status and survival outcomes. Study by Scolyer et al, Histological regression in melanoma: impact on sentinel lymph node status and survival. Modern Pathology, 2021. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41379-021-00870-2.

Dr. Sabina Berezowka, from the university of Lausanne Switzerland, discusses with our host her team’s recent study describing a novel "Prognostic Score" for assessing tumor regression following Neaodjuvant therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The proposed combined prognostic score (PRSC) performed better than pTNM staging and previously published Major Pathologic Response (MPR) approach. Study by Berezowka et al, A prognostic score for non-small cell lung cancer resected after neoadjuvant therapy in comparison with the tumor-node-metastases classification and major pathological response. Modern Pathology, 34, 1333–1344, 2021. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41379-021-00777-y.

Dr. Jason Hornick discusses his team recent study finding that a monoclonal antibody directed against the N-terminus of DDIT3 is a highly sensitive and specific for high-grade MLPS. DDIT3 immunostains could replace molecular genetic testing in many cases, although limited labeling may be seen in a range of other tumor types. Study by Hornick et al, Nuclear expression of DDIT3 distinguishes high-grade myxoid liposarcoma from other round cell sarcomas. Modern Pathology, 34, 1367–1372, 2021