title: Hepatoblastoma--an attempt of histological subtyping on fine-needle aspiration material.
abstract: Hepatoblastoma (HB) is classified into epithelial, mixed (epithelial/mesenchymal), and small-cell (anaplastic) type. Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a key role in hepatic development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis, and HB is known to present β-catenin mutations (50-90%). The present study was undertaken to delineate the cytomorphologic features of HB and to evaluate the feasibility of subtyping of HB on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The expression of β-catenin in these tumors was also evaluated both of histopathologic sections and on the aspirated material. Thirty-three cases with fine-needle aspirates of HB were retrieved over a period of 12 years. Cytologic diagnosis was reviewed in the light of clinicoradiological data, response to therapy, and subsequent histopathology. Immunochemistry for β-catenin was performed in 19 of 33 cases on histopathologic sections (n = 10)/cell blocks (n = 6)/cytosmears (n = 3). Based on the cytologic features, the cases were divided into fetal HB (n = 17), embryonal HB (n = 4), combined epithelial HB (n = 8), and mixed HB (n = 4). Four cases of histopathologically proven mixed HB were reported as pure epithelial HB on FNAC, as mesenchymal elements were not represented in the cytology smears. Cytoplasmic as well as nuclear staining for β-catenin was noted in a total of 10 of 19 cases. FNAC can accurately categorize epithelial HB; however, in mixed type, the accuracy depends on number of areas sampled. Cell block can be of help to perform ancillary investigations especially β-catenin for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytology and Gynecologic Pathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Adarsh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barwad
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Kirti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajwanshi
authors.forename: Ram Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Marwaha
authors.forename: K L N
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Pranab
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: Raje
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nijhawan
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D051176:beta Catenin