title: Does pTis exist in HPV-driven tonsillar carcinomas? An ultrastructural review and examination of two cases.
abstract: Many tonsillar tumors present clinically as cervical nodal metastases and the primary tumor is often difficult to find. HPV-driven tonsillar carcinoma begins in the reticulated crypt epithelium, possibly through viral integration. The basement membrane is not complete in the reticulated crypt epithelium, which may enhance the immune function. We examined the reticulated crypt epithelium in a normal case and five neoplastic tonsils with cervical metastasis as the presenting symptom to further investigate whether tonsil carcinoma in-situ exists. Our results suggest that in-situ carcinoma may need to be excluded from the future staging for human papilloma virus associated tonsillar tumors.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology , Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center , Lebanon , NH , USA.
authors.forename: Candice C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: b Electron Microscopy, Dartmouth College , Hanover , NH , USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ogomo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000628:therapy / Q000648:ultrastructure* / Q000821:virology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy / Q000648:ultrastructure* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy / Q000648:ultrastructure* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy / Q000648:ultrastructure* / Q000821:virology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden
keywords: HPV tonsil; in-situ tonsil carcinoma; tonsil carcinoma; tonsil carcinoma stage; tonsil carcinoma ultrastructure