BACKGROUND Fine‐needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is the most reliable diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules. A difficult cytologic diagnosis may be supported by an immunocytochemical study. The efficacy of a panel made up of RET, HBME‐1, and Galectin‐3 antibodies was evaluated in smears processed by thin‐layer cytology (TLC). DESIGN Thyroid FNABs (n = 99) with both conventional (CS) and thin‐layer cytology (TLC) smears were studied. The cases were diagnosed as follows: 5 benign lesions (BL), 13 papillary carcinomas (PC), and 81 follicular proliferations (FP). The category of FP was divided into three subgroups according to nuclear features of follicular cells: Follicular neoplasm (FN NOS), oxyphilic follicular neoplasm (OFN), and folliucular lesion with nuclear pleomorphism (FLWNP). Immunostains for HBME‐1, Galectin‐3, and RET were carried out on TLC slides. RESULTS Among 49 cases undergoing surgery, all 10 PC and 2 BL were histologically confirmed, whereas 15 out of 37 FP (40.5%) were malignant. The complete immunocytochemical panel (ICCP) was positive in 9 of 10 malignancies (90%) and negative in both BLs. Out of 37 FP, the ICCP yielded positive in 15 cases (4 benign, 11 malignant) and negative in 11 (all benign). In the FLWNP subgroup, the ICCP was positive in 11 (84.6%) and negative in 2 histologically benign cases. CONCLUSION The combined panel of antibodies and the nuclear pleomorphism of follicular cells were effective in distinguishing between thyroid nodules requiring surgery from thyroid nodules requiring just follow‐up. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.

Reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction using guanylyl cyclase C-specific primers might be useful to more accurately assess micrometastases in lymph nodes of colorectal cancer patients undergoing disease staging.

We have evaluated if ultrasound imaging (US) and various commercially available contrast microbubbles can serve as a non-invasive systemically administered delivery vehicle for site-specific adenoviral-mediated gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. The contrast agents were tested for their ability to enclose and to protect an adenoviral vector carrying the GFP marker gene (Ad-GFP) into the microbubbles. We have also evaluated the ability of the innate immune system to inactivate free adenoviruses as well as unenclosed viruses adsorbed on the surface of the contrast agents and in turn the ability of the microbubbles to enclose and to protect the viral vectors from such agents. In vitro as well as in vivo, innate components of the immune system were able to serve as inactivating agents to clear free viral particles and unenclosed adenoviruses adsorbed on the microbubbles' surface. Systemic delivery of Ad-GFP enclosed into microbubbles in the tail vein of nude mice resulted in specific targeting of the GFP transgene. Both fluorescence microscopy and GFP immunohistochemistry demonstrated US guided specific transduction in the targeted cells only, with no uptake in either heart, lungs or liver using complement-pretreated Ad-GFP microbubbles. This approach enhances target specificity of US microbubble destruction as a delivery vehicle for viral-mediated gene transfer.

Cytologic characterization of malignant vascular neoplasms (MVN) is difficult due to the wide range of differential diagnoses and sampling errors. The objective of this study was to identify criteria helpful in the cytologic diagnosis of MVN. The clinical presentation and cytomorphologic features of 22 angiosarcomas and two hemangioendotheliomas were analyzed. The criteria evaluated included cellularity, cellular arrangement, cell shape and size, pleomorphism, cytoplasmic borders, nuclear shape and number, chromatin pattern, nucleoli, background, and presence of angioformative structures. A previous history of MVN was noted in 18 of 24 patients. Specimens with epithelioid morphology were more cellular and pleomorphic and contained multinucleated cells. Specimens with spindle morphology were usually less cellular and less pleomorphic. Angioformative structures were identified in 11 of 24 cases. Awareness of features suggestive of MVN is necessary to raise the possibility of vascular origin, which can be confirmed with appropriate immunocytochemical studies.

Cytogenetic and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies demonstrated chromosome 3p deletions in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC).Bladder cancer is the fourth most frequent cause of cancer death in men in the United States.1 Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) comprises 90% of all bladder cancers and is the second most frequent malignancy of the genitourinary tract. In 1999 an estimated 54,200 patients were diagnosed with bladder cancer.2 TCC is classified histopathologically into three types: superficial, confined to the bladder wall, and invasive according to the TNM guideline.3 Neoplasms of the transitional epithelium represent one of the first tumors to have been associated with environmental risk factors. The single largest etiological factor in the development of bladder cancer in the United States is smoking, although industrial exposure to arylamines also has been implicated as a frequent cause. 4 Numerous recent cytogenetic and molecular genetic investigations have demonstrated many genetic alterations in solid tumors, most of which affect tumor suppressor genes. The RB, TP53, waf1/cip1, and CDKN2 genes have been shown to be mutated and/or deleted in a fraction of the TCC tumors of the bladder. 5-10