Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the least common, but most aggressive of the three major histological types of mesotheliomas. This study comprises 326 cases of sarcomatoid mesotheliomas among 2000 consecutive malignant mesothelioma cases received in consultation (16%). Patients included 312 men (96%) and 14 women (4%), with a median age of 70 years (range 41-94 years). Most tumors were pleural (319; 98%), and 7 were peritoneal (2%). Some desmoplastic features were identified in 110 cases (34%), and 70 (21%) were classified as desmoplastic. Rare subtypes included two cases with a lymphohistiocytoid pattern (o1%) and eight heterologous mesotheliomas (2%). Labeling for cytokeratins (CKs) was observed in 261/280 cases (93%), and for calretinin and vimentin in 31 and 91%, respectively. Pleural plaques were present in 79% of cases for which information was available, and asbestosis was diagnosed in 34/127 cases (27%). Median survival was 3.5 months. Fiber analysis was performed in 61 cases. The median asbestos body count was 1640/g wet lung tissue (by light microscopy). Amosite fibers were the most commonly identified fibers using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and were significantly higher in the sarcomatoid cases, as were uncoated fibers using scanning electron microscopy. This study represents the largest series of sarcomatoid and desmoplastic malignant mesotheliomas to date and confirms the diagnostic usefulness of CK immunohistochemistry. The relationship with asbestos exposure-particularly amosite-and an association with pleural plaques and less often asbestosis is confirmed.

Blunt chest trauma resulting in pulmonary contusion with an accompanying acute inflammatory response is a common but poorly understood injury. We report that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 participates in the inflammatory response to lung injury. To show this, we use a model of pulmonary contusion in the mouse that is similar to that observed clinically in humans based on histologic, morphologic, and biochemical criteria of acute lung injury. The inflammatory response to pulmonary contusion in our mouse model is characterized by pulmonary edema, neutrophil transepithelial migration, and increased expression of the innate immunity proinflammatory cytokines IL 1beta and IL 6, the adhesion intracellular adhesion molecule 1, and chemokine (CXC motif) ligand 1. Compared with wild-type animals, contused Tlr2(-/-) mice have significantly reduced pulmonary edema and neutrophilia. These findings are associated with decreased levels of circulating chemokine (CXC motif) ligand 1. In contrast, systemic IL 6 levels remain elevated in the TLR2-deficient phenotype. These results show that TLR2 has a primary role in the neutrophil response to acute lung injury. We suggest that an unidentified noninfectious ligand generated by pulmonary contusion acts via TLR2 to generate inflammatory responses.

Cervical lateral neck metastases in PTC occur in a predictable pattern, with levels III, II-A, and IV most commonly involved. Patients with PTC who undergo lateral neck dissection for FNA-confirmed nodal metastases might harbor disease in level II-B, especially if level II-A is involved. We recommend elective dissection of level II-B only when level II-A is involved, based on FNA confirmation, or when it is grossly involved on intraoperative evaluation. Routine dissection of level V-B is recommended in this patient population, while elective dissection of level V-A is not necessary.

Blunt chest trauma resulting in pulmonary contusion with an accompanying acute inflammatory response is a common but poorly understood injury. We previously demonstrated that toll-like receptor 2 participates in the inflammatory response to lung injury. We hypothesized that the toll-like receptor 4, in a MyD88-dependent manner, may also participate in the response to lung injury. To investigate this, we used a model of pulmonary contusion in the mouse that is similar to that observed clinically in humans and evaluated post injury lung function, pulmonary neutrophil recruitment and the systemic innate immune response. Comparisons were made between wild type mice and mice deficient in toll like receptor 4 or MyD88. We found toll-like receptor 4 dependent responses to pulmonary contusion that include hypoxemia, edema, and neutrophil infiltration. Increased expression of interleukin 6 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand-1 in the bronchoalveolar lavage and serum was also dependent on TLR4 activation. We further demonstrated that these responses to pulmonary contusion were dependent on MyD88, an adapter protein in the signal transduction pathway mediated by toll-like receptors. These results show that toll-like receptors have a primary role in the response to acute lung injury. Lung inflammation and systemic innate immune responses are dependent on toll-like receptor activation by pulmonary contusion.

Purpose Renal medullary carcinoma is an aggressive renal neoplasm without currently available effective therapy to our knowledge. Topoisomerase II α is a gyrase involved in cell proliferation, and DNA maintenance and repair. Topoisomerase II α is a target of inhibiting agents such as anthracyclines. Triggered by a recent response to topoisomerase II α inhibitors in a patient with renal medullary carcinoma, we evaluated topoisomerase II α expression in relation to the proliferation index and topoisomerase II α gene copy number status in a larger series of patients with renal medullary carcinoma. Materials and Methods Archival tissues from 14 renal medullary carcinomas were retrieved from our 3 institutions. Immunohistochemistry was performed using monoclonal antibodies for topoisomerase II α and Ki67. The percent of cells with positive nuclear staining was assessed in the highest area of expression for each marker. A previously suggested greater than 5% cutoff was used for topoisomerase II α over expression. The topoisomerase II α gene copy number was evaluated using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Locus specific topoisomerase II α gene and chromosome 17 centromere probes were used. The total number of topoisomerase II α and chromosome 17 centromere signals was counted in 150 cells per tumor and a topoisomerase II α-to-chromosome 17 centromere signal ratio was calculated in each tumor. A topoisomerase II α-to-chromosome 17 centromere ratio of 2.0 or greater and less than 0.8 was used as a cutoff for amplification and deletion, respectively. The percent of tumor cells with polysomic, eusomic or monosomic chromosome 17 status was also determined. Results On immuno-expression analysis topoisomerase II α immunohistochemistry was technically inconclusive in 1 renal medullary carcinoma. Topoisomerase II α was over expressed in 11 of 13 renal medullary carcinomas (85%) (median 50%, range 1% to 80%). As expected, a high Ki67 proliferation index was noted in 13 of 14 tumors (median 87.5%, range 2% to 100%). Ki67 expression was greater than topoisomerase II α expression in all 13 informative tumors. A strong, statistically significant correlation was found for topoisomerase II α and Ki67 expression (pairwise CC 0.9, p = 0.0000). Topoisomerase II α over expression was associated with shorter survival (p = 0.000). On fluorescence in situ hybridization no topoisomerase II α amplification was detected in any of the 14 renal medullary carcinomas, including the 11 with topoisomerase II α over expression. Topoisomerase II α gene deletions were noted in 4 tumors. Two of 4 deletions were associated with chromosome 17 monosomy and 2 were in eusomic chromosome 17 tumors. Conclusions Topoisomerase II α is over expressed in 85% of renal medullary carcinomas, potentially supporting the use of topoisomerase II α inhibitor agents to treat this aggressive renal tumor. Our findings suggest that topoisomerase II α over expression in our renal medullary carcinoma cohort was not due to gene amplification, but rather to transcription...