CFTR: cystic fibrosis and beyond
Excellent recent review of the role of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in cystic fibrosis.
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2014/06/12/09031936.00228013.abstract
Download WebPage.pdf (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - July 21, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
The Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: The Angiogenesis Paradox
Current review focusing on the enigmatic role of VEGF in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension from American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology published online last month.
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by dysfunctional angiogenesis leading to lung vessel obliteration. PAH is widely considered a pro-angiogenic disease, however, the role of angiogenic factors such as the vascular endothelial factor (VEGF) and its receptors in the pathobiology of PAH remains incompletely understood. This review attempts to untangle some of the complex multilayered actions of ...
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - July 21, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
Unopposed Cathepsin G, Neutrophil Elastase, and Proteinase 3 Cause Severe Lung Damage and Emphysema
Interesting abstract from American Journal of Pathology showing evidence for involvement of neutrophils serine proteinases in pathogenesis of emphysema.
Abstract
Cigarette smoking is a major factor for the development of pulmonary emphysema because it induces abnormal inflammation and a protease-rich local milieu that causes connective tissue breakdown of the lungs. As a result of its capacity to degrade lung tissue and the high risk of patients lacking α1-antitrypsin to develop emphysema, much interest has focused on neutrophil elastase (NE). Two similar neutrophil serine proteases (NSPs), cathepsin G and proteinase ...
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - July 21, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
Multifocal Micronodular Pneumocyte Hyperplasia Mimicking Miliary TB
Saturday morning interesting case report!
Download Multifocal pneumocyte hyperplasia mimicking miliary TB case report Lee 2014
(Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 28, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Lung Disease Lung Pathology Source Type: blogs
SNAI1 functional variant associated with decreased risk for lung cancer
This article adds another layer of complexity and I post it (rather belatedly) now because I find in it such an intriguing finding that a variant protein could have functional consequences that are observable as a clinical outcome with regard to COPD and NSCLC. Moreover, this variant was discovered to attenuate Snai1’s ability to specifically up-regulate mesenchymal biomarkers (i.e., fibronectin and vimentin) expression, and to promote EMT-like changes, including morphologic changes, cell migration, and invasion. (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 26, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Cancer Biology Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Lung Cancer Non small cell lung cancer Source Type: blogs
Web-based Tool for Assessing Transfusion Reactions
The Hemovigilance Module of the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network has an open access Web application for assessing transfusion reactions that is available at www.trddx.com. This tool is based on the NHSN Hemovigilance Module Surveillance Protocol (itself an essential resource). This would be especially useful for general pathologists who infrequently have to assess transfusion reactions. This is also a wonderful educational tool for pathology residents and internal medicine residents rotating through hematology-oncology services.
Other features include a table showing which diagnoses h...
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 26, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Blood Banking Transfusion Medicine Source Type: blogs
NHLBI Workshop Report: Matrix Biology in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
The June 2014 issue of American Journal of Pathology has this state-of-the-art review, based on a recent NHBLI workshop, of the various attributes of the lung extracellular matrix and its role in normal lung and in the development of IPF.
This is an "open access' (FREE) article and you can get CME for it too!
Here's a choice figure that nicely summarizes the biochemical and mechanical interactions between the fibroblast and the ECM: (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 25, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Lung Biology Lung Pathology Source Type: blogs
Major Driver Mutations in Adenosquamous Lung Carcinomas
The June 2014 issue of Journal of Thoracic Oncology (abstract) features a thorough study of major known driver mutations (EGFR, KRAS, ERBB2, BRAF, PIK3CA, AKT1, RET, and ALK) in a series of 76 patients from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center with resected adenosquamous lung carcinoma (AdSqLC) by Wang et al. and compared this group with a group of 646 patients with resected adenocarcinoma (ADC) during the same study period. This is a nifty paper that will serve well as a useful contemporary reference when you next encounter a patient with adenosquamous lung carcinoma.
From their "Table 1" data, it is o...
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 23, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Lung Cancer Non small cell lung cancer Source Type: blogs
Ancient account of physician subspecialization
This is a follow-up to my recent post on Herodotus describing 6th-century BC Babylonians relying on "social networking" for health care.
In Book 2 of The Histories, Herodotus comments on Egyptian medicine (ca. 500 BC). In opposition to Babylonian health care, Herodotus notes that in Egypt each physician just treats one illness. He comments dryly that "Doctors are everywhere."
Hmmm. (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 21, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
Extratumoral lymphatic permeation as prognostic marker in NSCLC
Matsumura and colleagues from the National Cancer Center Hospital East in Chiba, Japan recently reported in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology (abstract) their study of the location of lymphatic permeation in relation to the tumor and the effect on outcome.
Since 2001, this group has been classifying lymphatic permeation in patients with resected NSCLC into 3 catagories: no lymphatic permeation (ly0), intratumoral permeation (ly1), and extratumoral permeation (ly2). This is a follow-up to a previous study reported in 2007 that found that NSCLC patients with ly2 developed more recurrence than patients with ly1--b...
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - June 20, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
Whole genome sequencing not ready for prime time
Brief reaction from The Incidental Economist on recent JAMA article: Whole genome sequencing not ready for prime time. I agree that WGS is not ready for prime-time yet. Routine molecular testing--even for colon and lung in which there are more... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - March 12, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
Mutations in Lung Adenosquamous Carcinomas
Journal of Thoracic Oncology just issued a published ahead-of-print article that examined mutations of most frequent driver mutations seen in pulmonary adenocarcinomas in a series of 76 resected adenosquamous carcinomas of the lung. This is an important study to note... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - January 31, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Lung adenocarcinoma Lung Cancer Molecular Pathology Source Type: blogs
Future Directions in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research: NHBLI Conference Summary
Results of an NHBLI workshop from November, 2012 published in current American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2014; Vol. 189, No. 2). Definitely worth reading the entire article, if you have any interest in ILDs. Abstract The median... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - January 17, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
Update in TB and Non-TB Mycobacterial Disease
Dick Menzies and Payam Nahid "Update in Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease 2012", American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 188, No. 8 (2013), pp. 923-927. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201304-0687UP Update in Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease 2012 Dick Menzies1... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - January 15, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Source Type: blogs
5 Challenges Facing Health Systems
Mary Mosquera, writing in Healthcare Finance News, outlines five broad challenges facing healthcare systems: Among the biggest challenges that healthcare executives are confronted with this year are: 1. Pacing the shift to value-based models. Healthcare leaders continue to put infrastructure... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - January 14, 2014 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Business of Lab Medicine Future of Pathology Health Care Policy Source Type: blogs
