Authors: Alessandra Falda, Veronica Davanzo, Paola Fogar, Jenny Zuin, Paola Galozzi, Daniela Basso.
Background & Objectives: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma that occurs after breast prosthetic implantation (BIAALCL) is a rare neoplasm for which early diagnosis is necessary because surgery can be the definitive therapy, with recovery from the disease.
There are centres in the world that make a diagnosis only with pathological anatomy studies, but not with flow cytometric analyses and/or molecular tests. The flow cytometry easily allows for the detection, in particular, of small clones. The integration of data from various disciplines enables to detection of this pathology.
To prevent neoplastic cell loss, and ensure sample quality, it's necessary to process the samples within hours. Our previous work analysed the viability and CD30 and CD45 expression on fixed cells in a simulated matrix.
Methods: We assessed the viability and the intensity of CD30 and CD45 expression during the time in fixed and unfixed neoplastic cells of a BIA-ALCL case.
Results: The fixative preserved neoplastic cells in periprosthetic fluid without altering CD30 expression, allowing for accurate analysis and quantification. We consistently observed strong CD30 intensity in fixed cancerous cells. In contrast, samples stored without fixative showed decreased CD30 expression already in cells in the pre-apoptotic stage.
Interpretation & Conclusions: We believe it is important to evaluate CD30 expression with the awareness of differentiating between multiple neoplastic clones in the sample and the modulation of CD30 based on cellular stress. This would ensure a corrected identification and quantification of neoplastic cells, optimizing diagnosis through integration with pathological anatomy and molecular study.
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