A REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY REPORTING FOR BREAST-CANCER

Background: A detailed pathology report is important in the determinat ion of treatment options and prognosis in breast cancer. Australia's f irst National Cancer Consensus Conference, held in 1994, recommended g uidelines for the standardization of the clinical information to be pr ovided to the pathologist, the specifications relating to the handling of specimens, and the resultant pathology report. Methods: We examine d the current status of pathology reporting in invasive breast cancer in three New South Wales hospitals from 1986 to 1994. Results: Histopa thologic type was documented in 99% of reports, grade was documented i n 47%, size in 46%, and lymph node status in 98%. Only 27% of patholog y reports reviewed documented the status of all the above parameters i n the one report. Other features such as lymphatic and vascular invasi on were documented in only 21% and 9% of pathology reports, respective ly, while sex steroid receptor status was reported in almost 90% of ca ses. Conclusions: In view of the wide range in the percentage of featu res reported, we recommend the use of a standardized checklist for the pathological assessment of surgically resected invasive breast cancer specimens.