Introduction. The identification of mitotic figures is essential for the diagnosis, grading, and classification of various different tumors. Despite its importance, there is a paucity of literature reporting the consistency in interpreting mitotic figures among pathologists. This study leverages publicly accessible datasets and social media to recruit an international group of pathologists to score an image database of more than 1000 mitotic figures collectively. Materials and Methods. Pathologists were instructed to randomly select a digital slide from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets and annotate 10-20 mitotic figures within a 2 mm2 area. The first 1010 submitted mitotic figures were used to create an image dataset, with each figure transformed into an individual tile at 40x magnification. The dataset was redistributed to all pathologists to review and determine whether each tile constituted a mitotic figure. Results. Overall pathologists had a median agreement rate of 80.2% (range 42.0%-95.7%). Individual mitotic figure tiles had a median agreement rate of 87.1% and a fair inter-rater agreement across all tiles (kappa = 0.284). Mitotic figures in prometaphase had lower percentage agreement rates compared to other phases of mitosis. Conclusion. This dataset stands as the largest international consensus study for mitotic figures to date and can be utilized as a training set for future studies. The agreement range reflects a spectrum of criteria that pathologists use to decide what constitutes a mitotic figure, which may have potential implications in tumor diagnostics and clinical management.

Currently, canine soft tissue sarcoma (STS) grading is based on histopathology. In humans, several studies have demonstrated concordance between cytologic grading systems for STS and histologic grade. The aim of this study was to correlate several cytologic parameters (smear cellularity, anisokaryosis, nucleolar malignancy score, multinucleation, and the number of mitotic figures per 200 cells) that form part of a human STS cytologic grading system, with histologic grades of canine cutaneous and subcutaneous STS. Three observers (blinded) reviewed the cytologic preparations independently from cases with confirmed histologic diagnoses of STS. A cytologic grading score was assigned for each parameter. Correlations between cytologic grading scores (averaged between observers) and histologic grades were assessed using Spearman\'s correlation coefficient, with statistical significance defined as P < .05. Twenty-one cases were included in the study (10 Grade I STS, nine Grade II STS, and two Grade III STS). The number of mitotic figures (≥3) per 200 cells was the only parameter that showed a significant but weak, positive correlation with histologic grade (rs  = .469; P = .032). No Grade I tumors had ≥3 mitotic figures per 200 cells; however, ≥3 mitotic figures per 200 cells were only observed in 33% of Grade II tumors and 50% (one out of two) of the Grade III tumors. This pilot study suggests that an increased number of mitotic figures seen on cytology might correlate with higher grade STS; however, the sensitivity of this parameter for grading STS appears to be low.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mitotic activity in the different grades of oral epithelial dysplasia using 1% crystal violet stain.
METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Histopathology of the Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore on a total of thirty-three cases of the Oral Epithelial Dysplasia (OED). Fresh, frozen paraffin-embedded archival tissue blocks were collected from Lahore General Hospital, Lahore & Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Nawaz Sharif Hospital, Yakki Gate, Lahore. The representative sections were taken and, after processing, mounted on glass slides and stained with H&E and crystal violet stains. The stained slides were then examined under an optical microscope. The efficacy of 1% crystal violet stain to identify mitotic figures in the different grades of oral epithelial dysplasia was assessed with the sample t-test. A difference of p < 0.05 was considered to be significant.
RESULTS: A comparison of the mitotic figure count in two categories in sections stained with both stains showed a statistically significant difference. An increase in the mean mitotic count was noted in the sections of OED stained with crystal violet in comparison to the sections of OED stained with H&E which was statistically significant (p = 0.00).
CONCLUSIONS: Counting of mitotic cell is the rapid and simplest way of evaluating the proliferative activity of cells. Crystal violet stain can be a rationalised step in the staining of mitotic figures compared to the usual H&E staining and can be employed as a selective stain during routine histopathological procedures.

BACKGROUND: Mitosis is a process of cell division resulting in two genetically equivalent daughter cells. Excessive proliferation of cells due to mitosis is the hallmark in pre cancer and cancer.
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to count the number of mitotic figures in normal oral mucosa, oral epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma in both Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Crystal Violet stained sections. Also the overall number of mitotic figures with both stains were compared along with the evaluation of staining efficacy of both the stains.
METHODS: The present study was conducted on 20 specimens each of the three categories. These were further divided into two groups for staining with H&E and with 1% Crystal Violet respectively. Images were captured and analyzed using image analysis software Dewinter Biowizard 4.1.
RESULTS: Comparison of mitotic figure count in three categories in sections stained with both stains showed statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The mean number of mitotic figures seen in Crystal Violet reagent were significantly higher as seen in H&E stain (p < 0.001). The overall diagnostic efficacy of Crystal Violet was 87.6%. Crystal Violet scored over H&E stain and also helped to better appreciate metaphases in Squamous cell carcinoma and telophases in dysplasia.
CONCLUSIONS: Number of mitotic figures progressively increase with the advancement of the pathology. Use of 1% Crystal Violet provides better appreciation of mitotic figures and can be employed as a selective stain in routine histopathology.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a cutaneous soft tissue neoplasm with potential for local recurrence but distant metastasis is rare. Trunk and extremities are most commonly involved. This case presented as left-sided breast lump in a male patient. The patient underwent left-sided modified radical mastectomy. Tissues were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical test subsequently. The tumor cells showed storiform arrangement with nuclear pleomorphism and increased mitotic figures at places. They were reactive to CD34 and non-reactive to S-100, smooth muscle actin, desmin, cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen. The diagnosis of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with areas of fibrosarcomatous change was given. Though trunk is a common site for this tumor but its presentation as male breast lump has made the case unique.