1. Morphological features of breast cancer circulating tumor cells in blood after physical and biological type of isolationTanja Jesenko, Živa Pišljar, Cvetka Grašič-Kuhar, Maja Čemažar, Urška Matkovič, Simona Miceska, Jerneja Varl, Anamarija Kuhar, Veronika Kloboves-Prevodnik, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Background. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have become an important biomarker in breast cancer. Different iso-lation tech-niques based on their biological or physical features were established. Currently, the most widely used methods for visualization after their separation are based on immunofluorescent staining, which does not provide the information on the morphology.Materials and methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate how two different separation techniques affect cell morphology and to analyse cell morphology with techniques used in routine cytopathological laboratory. A direct side-by-side comparison of physical (Parsortix%) and biological (MACS%) separation technique was performed.Results. In the preclinical setting, both isolation techniques retained the viability and antigenic characteristics of MCF7 breast cancer cells. Some signs of degeneration such as cell swelling, cytoplasmic blebs, villous projections and vacuolization were observed. In metastatic breast cancer patient cohort, morphological features of isolated CTCs were dependent on the separation technique. After physical separation, CTCs with preserved cell morphology were detected. After biological separation the majority of the isolated CTCs were so degenerated that their identity was difficult to confirm.Conclusions. Taken together, physical separation is a suitable technique for detection of CTCs with preserved cell morphology for the use in a routine cytopathological laboratory. Keywords: circulating tumor cells, breast cancer, morphology Published in DiRROS: 22.07.2024; Views: 221; Downloads: 186 Full text (1,65 MB) This document has many files! More... |
2. Evaluation of the training program for p16/ Ki-67 dual immunocytochemical staining interpretation for laboratory staff without experience in cervical cytology and immunocytochemistryVeronika Kloboves-Prevodnik, Živa Pohar-Marinšek, Janja Zalar, Hermina Rozina, Nika Kotnik, Tine Jerman, Jerneja Varl, Urška Ivanuš, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: ackground p16/Ki-67 dual immunocytochemical staining (DS) is considered easy to interpret if evaluators are properly trained, however, there is no consensus on what constitutes proper training. In the present study we evaluated a protocol for teaching DS evaluation on students inexperienced in cervical cytology. Methods Initial training on 40 DS conventional smears was provided by a senior cytotechnologist experienced in such evaluation. Afterwards, two students evaluated 118 cases. Additional training consisted mainly of discussing discrepant cases from the first evaluation and was followed by evaluation of new 383 cases. Agreement and accuracy of students' results were compared among the participants and to the results of the reference after both evaluations. We also noted time needed for evaluation of one slide as well as intra-observer variability of the teacher's results. Results At the end of the study, agreement between students and reference was higher compared to those after initial training (overall percent agreement [OPA] 81.4% for each student, kappa 0.512 and 0.527 vs. OPA 78.3% and 87.2%, kappa 0.556 and 0.713, respectively). However, accuracy results differed between the two students. After initial training sensitivity was 4.3% points and 2.9% points higher, respectively compared to the reference, while specificity was 30.6% points and 24.4% points lower, respectively, compared to the reference. At the end of the study, the sensitivity reached by one student was the same as that of the reference, while it was 2.6% points lower for the other student. There was a statistically significant difference in specificity between one student and the reference and also between students (16.7 and 15.1% points). Towards the end of the study, one student needed 5.2 min for evaluating one slide while the other needed 8.2 min. The intra-observer variability of the senior cytotechnologist was in the range of "very good" in both arms of the study. Conclusions In teaching DS evaluation, the students' progress has to be monitored using several criteria like agreement, accuracy and time needed for evaluating one slide. The monitoring process has to continue for a while after students reach satisfactory results in order to assure a continuous good performance. Monitoring of teacher's performance is also advisable. Keywords: cervical cytology, cervical cancer, immunocytochemistry, accuracy Published in DiRROS: 11.07.2024; Views: 252; Downloads: 186 Full text (1,40 MB) This document has many files! More... |
3. Clinical relevance of the borderline results of the Hybrid Capture 2 High-Risk HPV DNA assay with cervical samples collected in Specimen Transport MediumJerneja Varl, Urška Ivanuš, Živa Pohar-Marinšek, Tine Jerman, Anja Oštrbenk Valenčak, Mario Poljak, Veronika Kloboves-Prevodnik, 2019, original scientific article Keywords: Hybrid Capture 2, cervical cancer, HPV test, borderline results Published in DiRROS: 05.07.2024; Views: 262; Downloads: 132 Full text (449,91 KB) This document has many files! More... |
4. Morfološke značilnosti cirkulirajočih tumorskih celic raka dojk v krvi po izolaciji na podlagi njihovih fizikalnih ali bioloških lastnostiSimona Miceska, Tanja Jesenko, Živa Pišljar, Cvetka Grašič-Kuhar, Maja Čemažar, Urška Matkovič, Jerneja Varl, Anamarija Kuhar, Veronika Kloboves-Prevodnik, 2022, published scientific conference contribution abstract Keywords: citologija, diagnostika, onkologija Published in DiRROS: 27.01.2023; Views: 787; Downloads: 204 Full text (241,64 KB) |
5. Umestitev tekočinske citologije v program ZORA : predstavitev pilotne raziskaveVeronika Kloboves-Prevodnik, Mario Poljak, Anja Oštrbenk Valenčak, Jerneja Varl, Margareta Strojan Fležar, Špela Smrkolj, Urška Gašper, Leon Meglič, Maja Primic-Žakelj, Urška Ivanuš, 2019, published scientific conference contribution Keywords: rak materničnega vratu, presejalni programi, citopatologija Published in DiRROS: 10.04.2020; Views: 2093; Downloads: 937 Link to full text This document has many files! More... |