DOI: 10.1097/01.pai.0000213145.77772.b1
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Issn Print: 1541-2016
Publication Date: 2006/12/01
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Excerpt
M. Nadji, M. Nassiri, A. R. Morales. Chicago, IL: ASCP Press, 2006. ISBN 0-89189-560-4; 300 pages. $200.
This 300-page book from Mehrdad Nadji, Mehdi Nassiri, and Azorides Morales is organized around a number of major differential tumor diagnoses for the surgical pathologist. In the Preface, the authors indicate that the book is designed to complement the 2 larger more comprehensive books, “Immunomicroscopy—A Diagnostic Tool for the Surgical Pathologist” (Taylor, Clive R and Cote, Richard J), plus “Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry” (Dabbs, David J), both published by Saunders Elsevier. This reviewer is familiar with both, having edited the one and provided the techniques chapter for the other, such that it is possible to state the Nadji and colleagues have succeeded admirably with their goal in this new book.
Thus there are no chapters on methodology or upon antibody selection, quality control, technical “trouble shooting,” etc, all of which are left to the larger books as described. Instead the focus is entirely upon the major types of tumors encountered in surgical pathology practice, and the use of immunohistochemistry in facilitating the rendering of a diagnosis. For each diagnostic category of tumor the major immunohistochemical stains (markers) are listed and the results described in tabular form, supplemented by selected color illustrations, and “Helpful Hints,” that indeed are helpful, being based upon the extensive experience of the authors. There are 2 broad divisions in the book, “Undifferentiated Neoplasms” and “Specific Differential Diagnoses.” The former has 3 subcategories, Large Cell, Small Cell, and Spindle Cell, whereas the latter contains 18 specified subtypes of tumor, including “Soft Tissue,” Lung, Liver, Skin, and some categories that are anatomically defined, such as Head and Neck, Abdomen, and Mediastinum. This “hybrid” arrangement strikes this reviewer as “odd” at first sight, but in fact does lend itself quite well to practical use according to the way in which differential diagnoses present on a day to day working basis. However, there is no chapter specified as “hematopoietic” or “lymph node,” though lymphomas and lymphocytic infiltrates are mentioned in the context of small cell tumors (of lung), mediastinum (vs. thymoma), skin (vs. myeloid leukemia), and “Head and Neck.” This deficiency seems to this reviewer to be significant in view of the critical role of immunohistochemistry in recognizing the major subclasses of lymphoma that in reality dictate different therapies, and the fact that whole books exist on the subclassification of lymphomas, with no real mention in this book.
In conclusion, the book is valuable as a complement to larger texts, but cannot serve as a stand alone text. It really provides no easily accessible guidance as to which stains to use in a particular clinical situation, but is rather an illustrated guide to the reactions (positive or negative) expected once the appropriate stains have been selected and performed. The illustrations are numerous (>400) and useful. There is no bibliography, in keeping with the “quick reference manual approach.
