Changes in sputum cytology,airway inflammation and oxidative stress due to chronic inhalation of biomass smoke during cooking in premenopausal rural Indian women

To perform sputum analysis for verification of pulmonary changes in premenopausal rural Indian women chronically exposed to biomass smoke during cooking.Three consecutive morning sputum samples were collected from 196 women (median age 34 years) cooking with biomass and 149 age-matched control women cooking with cleaner fuel liquefied petroleum gas. Smears made on slides were stained with Papanicolaou and Perl's Prussian blue. Airway oxidative stress was estimated as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (by flow cytometry) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) level (by spectrophotometry) in sputum cells. Airway inflammation was measured as sputum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, -8 and tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α). Particulate matter of diameter less than 10 (PM₁₀) was measured using laser photometer while benzene exposure was monitored by measuring trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) in urine by HPLC-UV. Compared with control, sputum of biomass users contained more neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, alveolar macrophages, and showed presence of ciliocytophthoria, Charcot-Leyden crystals, Curschmann's spiral. ROS generation was increased by 2-fold while SOD was depleted by 31% in biomass users. They also had higher sputum levels of IL-6, -8 and TNF-α. Levels of PM₁₀ and t,t-MA were 2.9- and 5.8-times higher in biomass-using women. PM₁₀ and t,t-MA levels were positively associated with cellular changes in the sputum, markers of airway inflammation, and oxidative stress. Cooking with biomass alters sputum cytology, and increases airway inflammation and oxidative stress that might result in further amplification of the tissue damaging cascade in women chronically exposed to biomass smoke.     

Update on histologic classification of non-small cell lung cancer

Given the recent advances in personalized medicine in lung cancer that are mostly observed in adenocarcinomas, an international multidisciplinary group of lung cancer specialists has recommended a new sub-classification of resected adenocarcinomas, and a histologic classification in small biopsies and cytologic material that constitutes the majority of specimens. Whereas the classification of adenocarcinomas has been shown to have better correlation with prognosis than the current WHO classification, it has brought many questions that need to be addressed. In order to further classify poorly-differentiated NSCLC while preserving tissue for molecular testing in small samples, a minimal 2-marker panel of immunohistochemistry (TTF-1 and 63/p40) has been recommended. In the current WHO classification, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma categories include several variants, some of which are based solely on cytomorphologic features and do not appear to have biologic significance. Thus, a new, biology-based sub-classification is also warranted in those categories.     

Detection of lung cancer using multiple genetic markers—a systematic review

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and has one of the lowest survival rates of any solid tumor. In recent years, several attempts have been conducted to improve an early or accelerated diagnosis due to better overall prognosis after therapy. The aim of this study was evaluating the use of genetic markers for diagnosis of lung cancer. This study was conducted in accordance to Transparent Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses. Three Internet sources were used to search: MEDLINE‐PubMed, EMBASE, and LILACS. The databases were searched for studies conducted in the period up to and including May 10, 2011. The following inclusion criteria were applied: lung cancer studies, and the use of genetic markers for diagnosis. Studies using animal models, review articles, meta‐analyses, abstracts, conference proceedings, editorials/letters, case reports, incorrect study population, inadequate data, and cytology was not obtained, were excluded. A total of 1,901 abstracts/citations were identified for preliminary review. From 24 final selected studies, 17 referred to chromosomal markers diagnosis, eight to genes as marker, and one to both subjects. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied in all studies. Despite the limitations of this study, application of genetic markers to lung cancer diagnosis seems to have prognosis value irrespective of detection methodology used. FISH was the main technique applied to diagnose genetics alterations and revealed a high specificity, although some authors reported low sensitivity. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:834–842. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

HBME‐1 and CD15 immunocytochemistry in the follicular variant of thyroid papillary carcinoma

Papillary carcinoma is the most common thyroid malignancy. As the cytological diagnosis of papillary carcinoma is not difficult in patients with the usual type of lesion, fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is an effective method for preoperative evaluation. However, this modality is often ineffective in identifying the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) due to its similarity to other follicular lesions and the incompleteness of typical nuclear features. Therefore, we investigated the expression of immunocytochemical markers of papillary carcinoma in cytological specimens of FVPTC and evaluated their utilities. The immunoreactivity of HBME‐1 and CD15 was investigated using 50 imprint smear cytological specimens obtained from thyroid lesions, including 13 FVPTC. The sensitivity and specificity of HBME‐1 for FVPTC were 92% and 89%, respectively, while those of CD15 were 23% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, HBME‐1 is a sensitive marker of papillary carcinoma, including both usual type and FVPTC, in cytological specimens. Therefore, using HBME‐1 immunocytochemistry in FNA cytology will lead to reduction of the incidence of false‐negative diagnoses of FVPTC. Although CD15 is apparently inferior in terms of sensitivity for FVPTC, its excellent specificity will support the definitive diagnosis of thyroid malignancies, including FVPTC, after screening with HBME‐1.     

2333例35～59岁已婚妇女宫颈疾病分析

目的：了解象山海岛地区农（渔）村妇女宫颈疾病的发病状况,提高宫颈癌的早诊和早治率,提升广大农（渔）村妇女的自我保健意识和健康水平。方法采用妇科内诊检查,采集宫颈细胞进行液基薄层细胞学检查（ TCT）,对细胞学检查异常的患者进一步行阴道镜检查、人乳头瘤病毒（ HPV）检测、宫颈组织病理学检查。结果通过妇科检查发现57．35％的农（渔）村妇女患有宫颈疾病,其中以宫颈糜烂发病率最高（21．35％）;通过TCT检查发现宫颈细胞学异常发生率3．26％,癌前病变发生率120／万,宫颈癌发生率8．57／万。结论 TCT诊断结果采用TBS报告系统,对宫颈癌前病变的检出率高于传统的宫颈刮片巴氏细胞学报告。40～50岁的育龄妇女是宫颈癌的高发人群,持续感染HPV者是重点干预和检测的对象。应加强农（渔）村妇女的健康教育,提高其自我保健意识将有助于宫颈疾病的早期预防。