* Context. -- While urine culture contamination may not be completely avoidable, some laboratories have lower contamination rates than others. A College of American Pathologists (CAP) 1998 Q-Probes study showed that many interventions commonly assumed to reduce contamination were not demonstrably effective. This article revisits the issue.

* Tumor-to-tumor metastasis is a rare phenomenon. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common recipient of tumor-to-tumor metastasis in malignant tumors. However, renal angiomyolipoma has not been reported to be a recipient. Here we report 2 cases of tumor-to-tumor metastasis to renal angiomyolipoma. In one case, the donor tumor originated ...

Context.--Informed consent in transfusion medicine has been an area lacking of significant research and it is unknown if donors fully comprehend the risks associated with whole blood donation.

Context.--Learning the characteristics of frozen tissue samples stored in tumor banks for biological studies remains a problem.

* Context.--Studies analyzing the concordance of biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) Gleason scores have limitations. Some included 2 or more centers, used historical controls from the early prostate specific antigen era or lacked a clear definition of the biopsy schemes. Furthermore, most did not control the results for prostate volume.

* Context.--Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an adverse prognostic parameter for patients with breast cancer. Patients with HER2-positive tumors are, however, likely to gain significant benefit from targeted therapy with trastuzumab. Four largescale trials have assessed the efficacy and safety of adjuvant trastuzumab. In all ...

* Context.--Liposarcomas display a number of molecular abnormalities involving chromosome 12. Myxoid and round cell liposarcomas are characterized by t(12;16)(q13; p11) or t(12;22)(q13;q12) translocations. Amplifications occur within the 12q13-15 region of atypical lipomatous tumors and well-differentiated liposarcomas but not lipomas.

* Context--The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published its 4th edition of the classification of tumors of the central nervous system, incorporating a substantial number of important changes to the previous version (WHO 2000). The new WHO classification introduces 7 changes in the grading of central nervous system neoplasms, ranging ...

* Context.--Many studies have addressed metastatic patterns seen among various cancers. No recent studies, however, provide quantitative analyses of such patterns arising from a broad range of cancers based primarily on post-mortem tissue analyses.

* The precise nature and diagnostic concept of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) has been debated for years. Currently, a histiocytic lineage of the tumor cells is no longer favored. The nomenclature and classification of MFH and its subtypes have also been changed. The MFH pattern, especially that of storiform-pleomorphic variant, ...

* Context.--Although cervical cancer screening by cytology is successful, the test continues to show relatively poor operating characteristics. Cell cycle markers may enhance detection of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions.

* Context.--Both atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) have traditionally been considered to be risk factors for the development of invasive carcinoma and are followed by close observation. Recent studies have suggested that these lesions may represent true precursors with progression to invasive carcinoma. Due to ...

* Context.--Glial choristoma is an uncommon developmental abnormality typically presenting at birth or in early childhood. The nasal region is most frequently affected. Palate, tongue, cheek, scalp, and orbit can also be affected but these occurrences are relatively rare.

* Context.--Evaluation of transcapsular invasion is currently considered very important in the pathologic examination of thymomas. However, recent studies have questioned the prognostic value of stratifying thymoma patients into stage I and II disease. Evidence-based pathology promotes the use of systematic reviews of literature and metaanalysis of data to synthesize ...

Esophageal lichen planus is an underrecognized condition, with fewer than 50 cases reported to date. Unlike cutaneous lichen planus, esophageal lichen planus occurs almost exclusively in middle-aged or older women who also have oral involvement. It commonly involves the proximal esophagus and manifests as progressive dysphagia and odynophagia. Endoscopic findings ...

Context.--Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p deletion) is a cytogenetic abnormality generally associated with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most aggressive form of renal epithelial tumor.

* Context.--Nuclear grooves and inclusions are major features of cancer. However, the nuclear irregularities in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have not yet been well characterized.

* Chronic myelogenous leukemia with blast crisis is seen in 15% to 20% of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Chronic myelogenous leukemia with either erythroid or megakaryocyte blast crisis is not uncommon in the clinical setting. The incidence ranges from 0% to 33% in accordance with literature reports. The diagnosis ...

* Context.--The 2 chief pathways implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis, microsatellite instability and chromosomal instability, are not present in 20% to 37% of cases.