A practical approach to the clinical diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumour and other small round cell tumours sharing EWS rearrangement using new fluorescence in situ hybridisation probes for EWSR1 on formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded tissue

BACKGROUND: Over 90% of Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumour (ES/PNET) cases have the t(11;22) chromosomal rearrangement, which is also found in other small round cell tumours, including desmoplastic small round cell tumour (DSRCT) and clear cell sarcoma (CCS). Although this rearrangement can be analysed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using routinely formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded (FFPE) tissues when fresh or frozen tissues are not available, a sensitive and convenient detection method is needed for routine clinical diagnosis. AIMS: To investigate the usefulness of newly developed probes for detecting EWS rearrangement resulting from chromosomal translocations using FISH and FFPE tissue in the clinical diagnosis of ES/PNET, DSRCT, and CCS. METHODS: Sixteen ES/PNETs, six DSRCTs, and six CCSs were studied. Three poorly differentiated synovial sarcomas, three alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas, and three neuroblastomas served as negative controls. Interphase FISH analysis was performed on FFPE tissue sections with a commercially available EWSR1 (22q12) dual colour, breakapart rearrangement probe. RESULTS: One fused signal and one split signal of orange and green, demonstrating rearrangement of the EWS gene, was detected in 14 of 16 ES/PNETs, all six DRSCTs, and five of six CCSs, but not in the negative controls. CONCLUSIONS: Interphase FISH using this newly developed probe is sensitive and specific for detecting the EWS gene on FFPE tissues and is of value in the routine clinical diagnosis of ES/PNET, DSRCT, and CCS.     

Diagnostic utility of FLI-1 monoclonal antibody and dual-colour, break-apart probe fluorescence in situ (FISH) analysis in Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumour (EWS/PNET). A comparative study with CD99 and FLI-1 polyclonal antibodies

AIMS: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of the recently commercially available FLI-1 monoclonal (FLI-1m) antibody with the currently used antibodies [CD99 and FLI-1 polyclonal (FLI-1p)] in the diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumour (EWS/PNET) and to determine the diagnostic value of the EWSR1 (22q12) dual-colour, break-apart rearrangement probe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three cases of well-documented EWS/PNET and 15 non-EWS/PNET cases were retrieved from the archival files. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for FLI-1p, FLI-1m and FISH analysis was performed. RESULTS: The most sensitive and specific test panel for the diagnosis of EWS/PNET is the combination of CD99 and FLI-1p. FISH had a very high specificity (100%) but only a moderate sensitivity (50%). CONCLUSION: The combination of CD99 and FLI-1p is the method of choice for the diagnosis of EWS/PNET. EWRS1 (22q12) dual-colour, break-apart rearrangement probe FISH should be used as a confirmatory test in addition to CD99 and FLI1-p due to its high specificity.     

荧光原位杂交与逆转录聚合酶链反应在尤文肉瘤/原始神经外胚层肿瘤分子诊断中的应用

目的探讨运用荧光原位杂交（FISH）与逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测尤文肉瘤/原始神经外胚层肿瘤（ES/PNET）石蜡包埋组织特异性染色体易位的临床应用价值.方法收集ES/PNET 10例,分离石蜡包埋组织中的肿瘤细胞,利用Vysis公司的EWSR1双色易位分离探针,间期核FISH检测EWS基因的易位.运用RT-PCR检测t（11;22）（q24;q12）和t（21;22）（q22;q12）形成的融合转录子EWS-FLI1和EWS-ERG.结果10例ES/PNET中FISH观察9例有EWS基因的易位.RT-PCR 8例检测出EWS-FLI1的表达,没有检测出EWS-ERG的表达.结论利用FISH与RT-PCR检测ES/PNET石蜡包埋组织特异性染色体易位可作为可靠的分子诊断指标;两者相比,FISH敏感性和稳定性要优于RT-PCR.     

Clear cell sarcoma case report: complex karyotype including t(12;22) in primary and metastatic tumor

Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) is a rare and aggressive tumor, arising mainly in the soft tissue of the extremities in young adults. A distinctive chromosomal translocation, t(12;22)(q13;q12), has been found in most reported cases. We performed cytogenetic analyses on a primary and subsequent metastatic CCS that contained the t(12;22), along with other complex karyotypic changes. G-banding chromosome analysis was supplemented by spectral karyotyping (SKY), a 24-color chromosome-paint FISH technique, thus allowing identification of three marker chromosomes, unbalanced translocations, and other complex abnormalities. Four of these involved additional copies and structural abnormalities of chromosome 8. Clarifying such secondary karyotypic changes in CCS may prove valuable to the understanding of tumor cell biology and clinical behavior.     

Receptor tyrosine kinase pathway analysis sheds light on similarities between clear-cell sarcoma and metastatic melanoma

To highlight possible similarities and differences in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and downstream signalling activation profiles between clear‐cell sarcomas (CCS) and metastatic melanomas (MM), frozen, and paired‐matched fixed samples of six CCS with EWSR1 rearrangement (EWSR1+), five CCS without EWSR1 rearrangement (EWSR1?), and seven MM were investigated by means of biochemical, immunohistochemical, FISH, molecular analyses, and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Fixed samples of a further 10 CCS and 14 MM were investigated by means of sequencing for BRAF, NRAS, and KRAS mutations and FISH analyses for the gain of chromosomes 22 and 8. RTK analysis of all CCS/MM samples showed activation of short‐form (sf) recepteur d'origine nantais (RON) RTK and of PDGFRB, MET, and HER3. Analysis of downstream signaling revealed consistent phosphorylation patterns of PI3K/AKT, RSK, and the mTOR targets S6 and 4EBP1. Analysis of frozen and fixed material from 21 CCS and 21 MM showed the presence of the V600E BRAF mutation in 2/12 EWSR1+ and 3/9 EWSR1? CCS and 9/21 MM and demonstrated a significant (P < 0.001) correlation between the gain of chromosomes 22 and 8 and EWSR1? CCS. Our results show that BRAF mutation can also be present in CCS and support the proposed aberration of chromosomes 22 and 8 as a possibly useful nonrandom hallmark of EWSR1? CCS. Besides, they broaden the spectrum of the similarities of RTK pathway activation between CCS and MM, thus suggesting that new drugs found to be active in melanoma and RON inhibitors could have a role in CCS treatment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Unusual presentation of poorly differentiated primary pulmonary synovial sarcoma (PD‐PPSS) diagnosed by EBUS‐TBNA with cytogenetic confirmation—A diagnostic challenge

Poorly differentiated primary pulmonary synovial sarcoma (PD‐PPSS) is a rare, aggressive neoplasm, which occurs in 0.5% cases of all lung malignancies. The diagnosis of PD‐PPSS can be very challenging on cytology samples. We present here an unusual case of PD‐PPSS diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA), in the setting of known history of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma. Diff‐Quik and Papanicolaou stains showed cellular specimen with clusters of highly atypical small round blue cells admixed with lymphoid elements; and some with denuded cytoplasm. Cell block further showed molding, crush artifact and atypical mitotic figures. A differential diagnosis based on extended immunohistochemical work‐up was Ewing?s sarcoma/PNET versus poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma. Fluorescent in‐situ hybridization (FISH) showed SYT gene rearrangement at 18q11.2. In this report, we describe the cytomorphological features, diagnostic pitfalls, challenges, potential mimics, and importance of acquisition of adequate material for the ancillary work‐up on the cell block.     

Ewing sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor: adult abdominal tumors with an Ewing sarcoma gene rearrangement demonstrated by fluorescence in situ hybridization in paraffin sections.

The differential diagnosis of small round cell tumors is exhaustive and requires ancillary studies. Relatively recently, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using probes for specific gene rearrangements has gained wide acceptance. This technique is particularly useful in the differential diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/PNET) and desmoplastic small round-cell tumor (DSRCT). In ES/PNET, the EWS gene is juxtaposed to the FLI-1 gene in 85% of cases and to the ERG gene in another 7% of cases; the EWS gene is juxtaposed to the WTI gene in DSRCT. Documentation of the EWS gene rearrangements in EWS/PNET has previously been demonstrated in frozen tissue. We report 2 unusual cases of EWS/PNET diagnosed in abdominal tumors in adults. Although the immunohistochemical results supported a diagnosis of ES/PNET, 1 case morphologically resembled DSRCT. The diagnosis in these 2 cases was confirmed by the FISH demonstration of EWS/FLI-1 gene fusion in paraffin-embedded tissue. Thus, the usefulness of FISH demonstration of an EWS gene rearrangement with these specific probes in such unusual cases is supported and is demonstrated in paraffin-embedded tissue.