An updated review of cribriform carcinomas with emphasis on histopathological diagnosis and prognostic significance

Abstract

Cribriform is a histopathological term used to describe a neoplastic epithelial proliferation in the form of large nests perforated by many quite rounded different-sized spaces. This growth pattern may be seen in carcinomas arising in different organs, and shows important prognostic implications. Therefore, recent data in literature suggest that cribriform carcinoma is a histologically and clinically distinctive type of tumour that should be separated from other similar tumour types. In this article, the pathology of cribriform adenocarcinoma of the prostate, lung, breast, stomach, colon, thyroid, and skin is discussed with particular reference to morphologic and immunohistochemical features, differential diagnosis, and clinical behaviour.

A Grading System for Invasive Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma: A Proposal From the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Pathology Committee

“…[8][9][10][11][12] In addition to the five major histologic patterns, several other patterns have been recognized to occur in the lung and are also recognized in adenocarcinomas of other organs. 13 These include cribriform (defined as nests of neoplastic cells with sieve-like perforations) and fused gland (defined as poorly formed fused glands without intervening stroma or in a ribbon-like formation with irregular borders and single cells infiltrating desmoplastic stroma) patterns. The cribriform pattern in lung adenocarcinoma was recognized in the 2015 WHO classification, but it was decided not to create a new subtype but rather describe this pattern as a part of a high-grade pattern of the acinar subtype.…”

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Status in Gastric Carcinomas with Distinctive Prevalent Cribriform Component

“…Interestingly, in a previous analysis concerning unusual histotype of GC, we have already documented a progressive increase of HER2 amplification moving from the poorly cohesive histotype to the mitochondrion-rich adenocarcinoma, tubular adenocarcinoma, and hepatoid carcinoma, which showed the highest frequency of HER2 positivity and the worse prognosis [ 12 , 21 ]. Until now, no data about HER2 status have been reported in gastric adenocarcinomas with a prevalent cribriform pattern, a morphological picture considered highly aggressive, able to determine lymphovascular and perineural invasion as well as a lower disease-free survival rate in comparison to conventional GC [ 2 , 3 ].…”

“…The cribriform histological pattern has been attributed to tumors showing an architecture made of straight packed glands with not uniform distributed lumina, without interposed stromal tissue [ 1 , 2 ]. This peculiar pattern has been identified in invasive carcinomas rising in many different organs, such as prostate, breast, lung, colon, thyroid, skin, and stomach [ 2 – 7 ].…”

“…The cribriform histological pattern has been attributed to tumors showing an architecture made of straight packed glands with not uniform distributed lumina, without interposed stromal tissue [ 1 , 2 ]. This peculiar pattern has been identified in invasive carcinomas rising in many different organs, such as prostate, breast, lung, colon, thyroid, skin, and stomach [ 2 – 7 ]. In this latter localization, a specific cribriform gastric carcinoma (CGC) has not been described in the last WHO classification of gastrointestinal tract tumors [ 8 ], even if the identification of cribriform pattern may have interesting practical prognostic implications for oncologists [ 1 , 2 ].…”

“…This peculiar pattern has been identified in invasive carcinomas rising in many different organs, such as prostate, breast, lung, colon, thyroid, skin, and stomach [ 2 – 7 ]. In this latter localization, a specific cribriform gastric carcinoma (CGC) has not been described in the last WHO classification of gastrointestinal tract tumors [ 8 ], even if the identification of cribriform pattern may have interesting practical prognostic implications for oncologists [ 1 , 2 ]. In fact, it has been reported that CGC was associated with higher stage, lymphovascular and perineural invasion as well as with lower disease-free survival rate in comparison to conventional histotypes of gastric carcinomas (GC) [ 3 ].…”