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Background Due to the recent proposal of the non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear feature ( NIFTP) category, the authors analyse the state of the art in the challenging diagnosis of follicular thyroid neoplasms in routine practice. Methods and results A consecutive series of 200 histological diagnoses, with complete cytological correlation, was analysed following the introduction of the NIFTP definition. The study was conducted in a general hospital with a high prevalence of thyroid benign nodules that accounted for approximately 60% of surgically-treated nodules. The significant incidence of the new NIFTP category was 7%. Concurrently, a gradual decrease of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (fv PTC) was observed (3.5%). When evaluating the FNA biopsies within the NIFTP group, despite the systematic evaluation of nuclear crowding, enlargement, irregularities and clearing, the final cytological class was often indeterminate for malignancy (Thy3/ III- IV, 71%). At histology, the application of the semiquantitative NIFTP score for the evaluation of the PTC-like nuclear features was able to discriminate benign lesions (score 0/1) from fv PTC (score 2/3). A certain degree of overlapping still persisted between NIFTP and fv PTC (score 2) or between NIFTP and benign lesions (score 1). Conclusions In the routine evaluation of FNA biopsies, the presence of subtle and questionable PTC-like nuclear features still remains a controversial aspect of the diagnostic workflow. Given that the NIFTP category was introduced to stratify the low-risk group of thyroid tumours more precisely, pathologists should force themselves to apply the nuclear score rigorously and to classify cases assigned a score of 1 as benign proliferations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ( MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry ( IMS) is a unique proteomic technology that explores the spatial distribution of biomolecules directly in situ, thus integrating molecular and morphological information. The possibility of correlating distribution maps of multiple analyses with cytological features makes it an ideal research tool for discovering new diagnostic markers. A previous study showed that MALDI- IMS could help discrimination between different types of thyroid lesions, especially papillary thyroid carcinoma ( PTC); the present feasibility study on ex vivo fine needle aspiration ( FNA) smears describes its potential in detecting new proteomic targets of other thyroid lesions (follicular lesions, medullary carcinoma). Methods MALDI- IMS was conducted on ex vivo FNAs obtained from surgical specimens and corresponding in vivo samples. Differences between proteomic profiles of different thyroid lesions were compared. Results Comparing the protein profiles of hyperplastic nodules obtained from three different patients with each other, and with a new PTC, showed a high degree of concordance, indicating good reproducibility of the IMS technology on cytological samples, suggesting its potential as a tool for biomarker discovery. Furthermore, comparison of the average proteomic profiles of hyperplastic nodules with a Hürthle cell adenoma revealed significant differences, underlying the capability of MALDI- IMS to distinguish between different thyroid lesions. Finally, the proteomic profile of medullary thyroid carcinoma was also characterized. Conclusions Our results confirmed the possible role of MALDI- IMS in the search for diagnostic targets of PTC and follicular lesions, which could be applied in larger trials aimed at the identification of proteins, convertible to cost-effective diagnostic tools such as immunohistochemistry. These tests could be used to analyse in vivo cytological smears, improving the preoperative diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the case of a thirty-year-old woman whose preliminary diagnosis was done on urinary liquid-based cytology and whose final diagnosis was performed with fluorescence in situ hybridization on residual cytological material. Topics include morphological features of an Xp11.2 renal cell carcinoma in urinary cytology, and cytogenetic characterization of the Xp11.2 renal cell carcinoma, histology and immunohistochemistry.

Background The British system ( Thy1-5), the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology ( BSRTC) and the Italian Society of Anatomic Pathology and Cytology ( SIAPEC) classification represent the most important international classifications for thyroid cytopathology. Irrespective of the system used, the 'indeterminate' categories are still debated among cytopathologists, particularly with regard to diagnostic criteria, clinical impact of subclassification and role of molecular techniques. Aim We aimed to find answers to the following questions: Are there shared criteria in cytological preparations that allow the division of indeterminate follicular lesions into subcategories? What is the true clinical impact of this possible subclassification? Methods Among 1150 consecutive thyroid fine needle aspiration ( FNA) specimens, 80 patients had nodules with a final cytological report of Tir3 ( SIAPEC)/ Thy3. These 80 cases were re-evaluated and subclassified according to morphological criteria into three groups: pure follicular proliferations, Hürthle cell follicular lesions and atypical proliferations. Results Sixteen (20%) cases were categorized as pure follicular proliferations, 40 (50%) as Hürthle cell follicular lesions and 24 (30%) as atypical proliferations. Surgery was performed in 57 cases (71%). Cyto-histological correlation showed that follicular adenoma was the most frequent final diagnosis in the cases treated by surgery (24/57, 42%). The overall malignancy rate in the Tir3 category was 28% (16/57). Atypical proliferations were more often malignant than either of the follicular groups (53% versus 19%, P = 0.019). Conclusions A five-tiered classification, subdividing the 'indeterminate for malignancy' class into 'follicular proliferations' and 'atypical lesions' could be adopted. As a result of their higher risk of malignancy, surgical management of the atypical lesions would be justified. In future, the introduction of a genetic panel might contribute to their stratification, to the determination of a more accurate risk of malignancy of the atypical lesions and to the verification of follicular proliferations that are benign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is a rapidly growing and highly metastatic cancer with high mortality rates, for which a resolutive treatment is lacking. Identification of novel therapeutic strategies and biomarkers of tumour stage is thus of particular relevance. We report here on a novel biomarker and possible candidate therapeutic target, the sphingolipid metabolising enzyme acid sphingomyelinase (A-SMase). A-SMase expression correlates inversely with tumour stage in human melanoma biopsies. Studies in a mouse model of melanoma and on cell lines derived from mouse and human melanomas demonstrated that A-SMase levels of expression actually determine the malignant phenotype of melanoma cells in terms of pigmentation, tumour progression, invasiveness and metastatic ability. The action of A-SMase is mediated by the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase, the subsequent proteasomal degradation of the Microphtalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf) and inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2, Bcl-2 and c-Met, downstream targets of Mitf involved in tumour cell proliferation, survival and metastatisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the history of the histochemical stains that contributed most to the development of modern pathology during the last two centuries. Histochemical stains are presented in a list, which provides the essential information about year, country and main use of each to enable the reader to follow the chronological and geographical history of histochemistry. In addition to the historical evaluation of histochemistry development, we investigate how many classical histochemical stains survive in a modern laboratory of pathology and how often they are used for diagnostic practice compared to immunohistochemical (IHC) techniques. A ratio of about one histochemical reaction to 13 IHC reactions was tabulated. Finally, our data make it possible to define different cultural approaches to the terminology of histochemical and IHC stains: the former were based on eponyms, which link the stain with the name of its inventor, while the latter use a more impersonal biological terminology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the role played by the PAX5 and C/EBP α/β genes in atypical non-Langerhans cell histiocytic tumor in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The cover image, by M. Jaconi et al., is based on the Original Article The impact of the non‐invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary‐like nuclear feature terminology in the routine diagnosis of thyroid tumours, DOI: 10.1111/cyt.12459. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented on the use of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology for detecting signet-ring cell (SRC) differentiation in a patient with primary thyroid cancer.

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the cytology and histological findings on thyroid florid papillary hyperplasia.

A correction to the article "The role of PAX5 and C/EBP α/β in atypical non-Langerhans cell histiocytic tumor post acute lymphoblastic leukemia" that was published in the 2014 issue is presented.