Current Issue : July-September Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common and deadly cancer among women worldwide. Immunohistochemistry techniques are routinely used to assess hormone receptor (HR) expression and the HER2 oncogene in breast cancer. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical, pathological, and molecular characteristics of breast cancer in Guinea. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study covering a period of 15 years and 8 months from April 11, 2007, to December 31, 2022, involving 144 patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer. Data from immunohistochemical studies conducted abroad were collected in each case, providing information on hormone receptor status (estrogen and progesterone), HER2 oncogene expression, and molecular subtype. Results: The average age was 47.1 ± 11.8 years, ranging from 24 to 80 years. There were 142 (98.6%) women and 2 (1.4%) men, with a sex ratio of 1.4%. The average tumor size was 13.1 ± 11.1 cm. Patients were in stage III and IV in 72 (50.3%) and 41 (28.6%) cases, respectively. The tumor was invasive ductal carcinoma in 127 (88.1%) cases and SBR grade III in 62 (43.1%) cases. Hormone receptors were positive in 75 (52.1%) cases. The HER2 oncogene was expressed in 47 (32.6%) cases. Among the molecular subtypes, there were 47 (32.6%) cases of Luminal A, 46 (31.9%) cases of triple negative, 26 (18.1%) cases of Luminal B, and 25 (17.4%) cases of HER2 overexpressed. Conclusion: Immunohistochemistry is unavailable in the country and, due to a lack of financial resources, very few patients have access to it. Despite this unavailability, the systematic use of this technique will make it possible to adapt and personalize treatment for each patient....
Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer diagnosed before age 50 has been increasing worldwide. However, limited data describe the endoscopic and pathological features of colorectal lesions encountered and treated during routine colonoscopy in younger adults. This study aimed to characterize age-related differences in endoscopically resected colorectal neoplasia. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center observational study of consecutively endoscopically resected colorectal neoplasia at a high-volume academic teaching hospital in Japan. Patient-level and lesion-level characteristics were compared between early-onset (<50 years) and later-onset (≥50 years) groups. Lesions were evaluated for location, morphology, size, histology, resection method, and advanced neoplasia status. Results: A total of 1299 patients with 3399 lesions were analyzed, including 498 early-onset patients with 940 lesions. Early-onset neoplasia showed a left-sided predominance, with higher proportions in the distal colon and rectum. Pedunculated morphology was more frequently observed in early-onset lesions. Early-onset disease was also associated with larger lesion size, a higher prevalence of high-grade tubular adenoma, and increased rates of advanced adenoma and advanced neoplasia, resulting in more frequent use of endoscopic mucosal resection or submucosal dissection. Conclusions: Endoscopically resected colorectal lesions in younger adults exhibit distinct anatomical and morphological features compared with later-onset cases, indicating heterogeneity at the premalignant stage....
HER2 testing represents a cornerstone of the treatment algorithm in advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GC), yet its evaluation remains complex due to tumor heterogeneity and methodological variability. Unlike breast cancer, HER2 expression in GC is often incomplete and heterogeneous, resulting in discordant results between biopsies, resections, and metastatic sites. Both spatial and temporal HER2 heterogeneity are key determinants of testing reproducibility, diagnostic accuracy, and treatment selection and response in GC. Optimizing sampling through multiple, well-targeted biopsies, standardizing IHC/ISH protocols, and reassessing HER2 status at progression may be crucial steps to ensure diagnostic accuracy. The recognition of HER2-low disease introduces a new pathological and clinical subgroup of GC with potential sensitivity to antibody–drug conjugates, while emerging techniques such as circulating tumor DNA analysis are increasingly applied to detect HER2 amplification and co-existing genetic alterations. Integrating molecular tools and standardized reassessment strategies can enhance HER2 testing reliability and enable more precise treatment strategies, with the potential to minimize HER2 resistance mechanisms. This review provides a practice-oriented guide on the interpretation and optimization of HER2 testing in gastric cancer, while providing insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms driving heterogeneity and resistance....
Introduction: Ovarian tumors in children are rare, with a malignant rate of 10% - 20%. Beyond common epithelial or germ cell tumors, mesenchymal tumors like spindle cell embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) present significant diagnostic challenges due to their histological similarity to juvenile fibrosarcoma. This study reports a case of a 7-year-old girl to highlight how morphological overlap can lead to diagnostic errors and the critical necessity of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in establishing a diagnosis. Methods: A study was performed on a 7-year-old patient who was initially diagnosed with juvenile fibrosarcoma. Following the patient’s death, a morphological review was conducted to challenge the initial findings. The diagnostic process involved expanding the immunohistochemical panel from just CD34 and S100 to include myogenin, MyoD1, desmin, EMA, cytokeratin AE1/3, and vimentin to explore the possibility of ERMS. Results: Clinical presentation: The patient presented with abdominal pain, dysuria, and a 9 cm right ovarian mass invading the peritoneum. Initial Findings: A diagnosis of juvenile fibrosarcoma was suggested based on morphology, and the patient received three cycles of Doxorubicin and Cisplatin. Outcome: The patient died two weeks after the third chemotherapy cycle. Morphological Review: Re-examination revealed a “cambium-like” tumor zone and rhabdoid cells with high mitotic activity, strongly suggesting spindle cell ERMS. IHC Results: Tumor cells expressed only vimentin; specific myogenic markers (myogenin/MyoD1) were unavailable locally, preventing formal confirmation despite strong suspicion of ERMS. Conclusion: Accurate classification of pediatric ovarian mesenchymal tumors requires more than just morphological vigilance; it necessitates robust immunohistochemical capacity. Strengthening diagnostic infrastructure and regional pathology networks is essential to avoid inappropriate management and improve patient outcomes in resource-limited settings....
In response to the problems such as low participation and insufficient practical training of students in traditional laboratory teaching, this study aims to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of the gamified incentive mechanism (GIM) in this field. 84 undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 42) and the control group (n = 42). The control group received traditional conventional teaching, while the experimental group adopted the self-developed GIMM model (derived from the TPR model), and designed specific game incentive mechanisms, such as point systems, leaderboards, reward mechanisms, etc. The teaching content, time arrangement, and assessment criteria of both groups were kept consistent. The teaching effectiveness was evaluated through knowledge assessment, learning satisfaction survey, and teaching satisfaction survey. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 29.0. The results showed that the total knowledge score of experimental group achieved a significantly higher (85.31±8.81) than that in the control group (79.36 ± 6.47) (P < 0.05), with notable advantages in single-choice questions, specimen identification, and pathological section interpretation (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The experimental group also demonstrated higher satisfaction rates in learning interest (90.48%), classroom engagement (88.10%), and clinical thinking training (95.24%) (P < 0.05). The research conclusion indicates that integrating GIM into the teaching of pathology has significantly improved the teaching effectiveness and student satisfaction, addressing long-standing issues such as low participation and insufficient practical training. It has enhanced their academic performance and practical abilities. With the further popularization of digital technology in medical education, game-based teaching is expected to provide a highly promising improvement method for optimizing pathology education....
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