Wc. Allsbrook et al., Interobserver reproducibility of Gleason grading of prostatic carcinoma: Urologic pathologists, HUMAN PATH, 32(1), 2001, pp. 74-80
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Gleason grading is now the most widely used grading system for prostatic ca
rcinoma in the United States. However, there are only a few studies of the
interobserver reproducibility of this system, and no extensive study of int
erobserver reproducibility among a large number of experienced urologic pat
hologists exists. Forty-six needle biopsies containing prostatic carcinoma
were assigned Gleason scores by 10 urologic pathologists. The overall weigh
ted kappa coefficient KW for Gleason score for each of the urologic patholo
gists compared with each of the remaining urologic pathologists ranged from
0.56 to 0.70, all but one being at least 0.60 (substantial agreement). The
overall kappa coefficient kappa for each pathologist compared with the oth
ers for Gleason score groups 2-4, 5-6, 7, and 8-10 ranged from 0.47 to 0.64
(moderate-substantial agreement), only one less than 0.50. At least 70% of
the urologic pathologists agreed on the Gleason grade group (2-4, 5-6, 7,
8-10) in 38 ("consensus" cases) of the 46 cases. The 8 "nonconsensus" cases
included low-grade tumors, tumors with small cribriform proliferations, an
d tumors whose histology was on the border between Gleason patterns. Intero
bserver reproducibility of Gleason grading among urologic pathologists is i
n an acceptable range. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.