Messages from Kennichi Kakudo, MD, PhD to a person to be an expert of the cytopathology

The second edition, Thyroid FNA Cytology, Differential Diagnoses and Pitfalls, was published, both online and print edition, from Springer in May, 2019. Please visit at https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-13-1897-9. There are significant differences in our practice, particularlly between Asian and Western practice. As a results, quality measures (proportions of cytological categories, resecttion rates, risks of malignancy and AUS/M ratio) were significantly different among us even all usees the Bethesda system reporting thyroid FNA cytology. For the purpose of providing individualized guides to readers who are practicing in various geographic areas with different medical settings and social resources, the second edition tries to cover more than those provided by the first edition, and authors from 15 countries (Australia, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, Italy, Philippine, Portugal, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America) invited to participate.The editor of Thyroid FNA Cytology, Differential Diagnoses and Pitfalls has intentionally provided several topics in duplicate chapters by different authors to show you how they are handled differently, so that readers may select the most suitable and appropriate one related to each reader’s thyroid practice and FNA cytology. This book offers a comprehensive guide to thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. Borderline/precursor tumors, which were introduced in the 4th edition of the WHO classification of thyroid tumors, are also incorporated. In this second edition, prominent international experts discuss the different approaches to thyroid FNA cytology employed in various countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Korea, Portugal, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA, UK, Italy and Japan. The book not only covers key principles of thyroid cytopathology but also addresses technical aspects such as procedural complications, liquid-based cytology, immunocytochemistry, staining procedures, and potential pitfalls. Case-based descriptions and clinical findings, radiologic imaging, cytology, and histopathologic diagnosis – all complemented by a wealth of detailed photographs – will help reader understand and overcome many common dilemmas in daily practice. As such, the book represents an indispensable reference work for all cytopathologists, especially those practicing thyroid cytopathology.

The 20th ICC Sydney was over with great success. Asian Working Group companion meeting was held on the 8th of May (Figure 1), and we had the third face to face meeting. Gradually we found significant differences in thyroid practice among Asian WG members as well as between Asian and Western thyroid practice more and more. We are proudly showed our recent activities.

Multi-institutional Studies in 2018 and 2019.

1.    Bychkov A et al. Impact of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features on the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology: a multi-institutional study in five Asian countries. Pathology 2018; 50:411-417.

2.    Bychkov A et al. Noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features in Asian practice: Perspectives for surgical pathology and cytopathology. Endocr Pathol. 2018; 29:276-288.

3.    Vuong HG et al. Clinical impact of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features on the risk of malignancy in the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology: a meta-analysis of 14,153 resected thyroid nodules. Endocr Pract. 2019 [Epub ahead of print]

4.    Agarwal S et al. The prevalence and surgical outcomes of Hürthle cell lesions in fine‐needle aspirates of the thyroid: A multi-institutional study in six Asian countries. Cancer Cytopathol. 2019; 127:181-191.

5.    Liu Z et al. Interobserver and intraobserver variation in the morphological evaluation of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary like nuclear features in Asian practice. Pathol Int. 2019 [Epub ahead of print]

6.    Kakudo K et al. To the Editor. Cytologically borderline thyroid nodules as a key target to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment of thyroid cancer. Arch Pathol Lab Med (Accepted for publication).

Please join us at the 58th JSCC Fall Meeting in Okayama, Japan. You and new members are also welcome to this activity. Please contact me at kakudo@thyroid.jp. The following are details for the 4th face to face meeting (the Global Asian Forum) on 16th of November in Okayama, Japan.

The Global Asian Forum: Thyroid FNA Cytology in Asian Countries.

Chairpersons:

1.    Andrey Bychkov, MD, Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa, Japan,

2.    Kennichi Kakudo, MD, Ph.D., FIAC, Department of Pathology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Nara Hospital, Ikoma, Japan,

A welcome message by the meeting president, professor Moriya

Speakers

1.    Chan Kwon Jung, MD, Ph.D., Department of Hospital Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea,

Topic: Nuclear features of BRAF mutated PTCs and RAS-mutated neoplasms.

2.    Shipra Agarwal, MD, DNB, Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India,

Topic: AUS/FLUS in Indian experience with thyroid FNA.

2.    Priyanthi Kumarasinghe, MD, Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Western Australia, Australia,

Topic: BRAF testing to refine cytology categories: how and when?

4.    Huyen-Trang Vu, MD, Department of Pathology, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,

Topic: Resection rate and risk of malignancy among TBSRTC categories in Western vs. Asian practice.

5.    Chih-yi Liu, MD, FIAC, Division of Pathology, Sijhih Cathay General Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan,

Topic: Cytological diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma among Asian Working Group in Thyroid Cytology.

6.    Yaqiong Li MD Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong, China,

Topic: Observer variation study in the diagnosis of follicular neoplasms.