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Fundamento. La extirpación del ganglio centinela es una técnica quirúrgica muy extendida cuyo objetivo es evitar el vaciamiento axilar en pacientes con cáncer de mama en estadios iniciales. La determinación de la infiltración tumoral puede ser evidente en caso de macrometástasis (>2mm), o difícil de detectar en las micrometástasis (2mm, 5 fueron micrometástasis 2mm), or difficult to detect in micrometastasis (2mm, 5 were micrometastases

[EN] Monitoring spatial and temporal dynamics of bird communities in Mediterranean land- scapes affected by large wildfires. We presented a bird-monitoring database in Mediterranean landscapes (Catalonia, NE Spain) affected by wildfires and we evaluated: 1) the spatial and temporal variability in the bird community composi- tion and 2) the influence of pre-fire habitat configuration in the composition of bird communities. The DINDIS database results from the monitoring of bird communities occupying all areas affected by large wildfires in Catalonia since 2000. We used bird surveys conducted from 2006 to 2009 and performed a principal components analysis to describe two main gradients of variation in the composition of bird communities, which were used as descriptors of bird communities in subsequent analyses. We then analysed the relationships of these community descriptors with bioclimatic regions within Catalonia, time since fire and pre-fire vegetation (forest or shrubland). We have conducted 1,918 bird surveys in 567 transects distributed in 56 burnt areas. Eight out of the twenty most common detected species have an unfavourable conservation status, most of them being associated to open-habitats. Both bird communities’ descriptors had a strong regional component and were related to pre-fire vegetation, and to a lesser extent to the time since fire. We came to the conclusion that the responses of bird communi- ties to wildfires are heterogeneous, complex and context dependent. Large-scale monitoring datasets, such as DINDIS, might allow identifying factors acting at different spatial and temporal scales that affect the dynamics of species and communities, giving additional information on the causes under general trends observed using other monitoring systems., [ES] Se ha presentado una base de datos de aves en paisajes mediterráneos (Cataluña, NE España) afectados por incendios forestales y se ha evaluado: 1) la variabilidad espacial y temporal de la respuesta de la comunidad de aves al fuego y 2) el impacto de la vegetación antes del incendio en la composición de la comunidad de aves. La base de datos DINDIS contiene información avifaunística de todas las áreas forestales quemadas desde el año 2000 en Cataluña. Se utiliza la información disponible hasta la fecha y se realiza un análisis de componentes principales para describir dos patrones esenciales de variación en la comunidad de aves, los cuales fueron utilizados como descriptores de la comunidad en los siguientes análisis. Se analiza la relación de dichos descriptores con las regiones bioclimáticas dentro de Cataluña, el tiempo transcurrido después del fuego y la vegetación antes del incendio (bosque o matorral). Se realizó un total de 1.918 censos en 567 transectos distribuidos en 56 áreas quemadas. Ocho de las veinte especies más comunes tienen valor de conservación, la mayoría asociadas a hábitats abiertos. Ambos descriptores de la comunidad de aves estuvieron significativamente relacionados con la componente regional y con la vegetación antes del incendio, y en menor medida con el tiempo transcurrido después del incendio. Se concluye que las respuestas de las comunidades de aves a los incendios son heterogéneas, complejas y dependientes del contexto del paisaje.Asimismo, la disponibilidad de una base de datos a gran escala como DINDIS permitiría identificar los factores que actúan a diferentes escalas espaciales y temporales que determinan la dinámica de las especies, ofreciendo información complementaria sobre las causas detrás de las tendencias poblacionales observadas utilizando otros sistemas de monitoreo.

Isolated tumour cells and micrometastases represent two different staging categories and are often dealt with differently when identified in sentinel lymph nodes of breast cancer patients. The reproducibility of these categories was found to be suboptimal in several studies. The new edition of the TNM (Tumour Node Metastasis) is expected to improve the reproducibility of these categories. Fifty cases of possible low-volume nodal involvement were represented by one to four digital images and were analysed by members of the European Working Group for Breast Screening Pathology (EWGBSP). The kappa value for interobserver agreement of the pN (TNM) staging categories and of the isolated tumour cells category were 0.55 and 0.56 reflecting moderate reproducibility, and the kappa of the micrometastatic category (0.62) reflected substantial reproducibility. This is an improvement over the results gained on the basis of the previous edition of the TNM. Maximal adherence to the category definitions supplemented by explanatory texts in the staging manual should result in more homogeneous nodal staging of breast cancer.

Contains fulltext : 58820.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) To assess the variability of oestrogen receptor (ER) testing using immunocytochemistry, centrally stained and unstained slides from breast cancers were circulated to the members of the European Working Group for Breast Screening Pathology, who were asked to report on both slides. The results showed that there was almost complete concordance among readers (kappa=0.95) in ER-negative tumours on the stained slide and excellent concordance among readers (kappa=0.82) on the slides stained in each individual laboratory. Tumours showing strong positivity were reasonably well assessed (kappa=0.57 and 0.4, respectively), but there was less concordance in tumours with moderate and low levels of ER, especially when these were heterogeneous in their staining. Because of the variation, the Working Group recommends that laboratories performing these stains should take part in a external quality assurance scheme for immunocytochemistry, should include a tumour with low ER levels as a weak positive control and should audit the percentage positive tumours in their laboratory against the accepted norms annually. The Quick score method of receptor assessment may also have too many categories for good concordance, and grouping of these into fewer categories may remove some of the variation among laboratories.

Contains fulltext : 57809.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) AIMS: To evaluate aspects of the current practice of sentinel lymph node (SLN) pathology in breast cancer via a questionnaire based survey, to recognise major issues that the European guidelines for mammography screening should address in the next revision. METHODS: A questionnaire was circulated by mail or electronically by the authors in their respective countries. Replies from pathology units dealing with SLN specimens were evaluated further. RESULTS: Of the 382 respondents, 240 European pathology units were dealing with SLN specimens. Sixty per cent of these units carried out intraoperative assessment, most commonly consisting of frozen sections. Most units slice larger SLNs into pieces and only 12% assess these slices on a single haematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained slide. Seventy one per cent of the units routinely use immunohistochemistry in all cases negative by HE. The terms micrometastasis, submicrometastasis, and isolated tumour cells (ITCs) are used in 93%, 22%, and 71% of units, respectively, but have a rather heterogeneous interpretation. Molecular SLN staging was reported by only 10 units (4%). Most institutions have their own guidelines for SLN processing, but some countries also have well recognised national guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Pathological examination of SLNs throughout Europe varies considerably and is not standardised. The European guidelines should focus on standardising examination. They should recommend techniques that identify metastases > 2 mm as a minimum standard. Uniform reporting of additional findings may also be important, because micrometastases and ITCs may in the future be shown to have clinical relevance.