July 2005

I have finally created an uncompiled web version, at http://e-immunohistochemistry.info/web3help/histopathology_help.htm. I would like to hear from those who prefer this mode of access, particularly if you use a non-Windows platform. Uploading the 1300 files required to generate this version is not trivial, so I am not promising to update it more frequently than the compiled version. There have been some formatting problems. Where there is a Greek symbol, there is a tendency for a whole block of text to appear in Greek characters. I have tried to find these and put them right. If you find any I have missed, please let me know.
Much of my effort over the last three months has been bringing lung tumours into line with the latest WHO classification. Where there are on line sources, such as the pleuropulmonary blastoma registry, I am including links to such sites.
I have found several sites with comprehensive information on the cytogenetics and molecular genetics of tumours: http://cgap.nci.nih.gov/Chromosomes/Mitelman, http://amba.charite.de/cgh and http://www.progenetix.net.
The immunohistochemical differentiation of primary ovarian endometrioid/mucinous carcinoma of the ovary from metastatic colorectal carcinoma is not easy, but may be possible.
D2-40 is a new mesothelial marker, with promise in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.
b-catenin looks useful for differentiating fibromatoses from other mesenchymal tumours.
PNL2 is another promising melanocytic marker.
A second monoclonal against TTF-1, SPT24, appears to have greater sensitivity, at the expense of loss of specificity.
CD163 has promise as a specific marker of monocyte/macrophage lineage.

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