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DEFICIENCIES IN PATHOLOGICAL REPORTING OF COLORECTAL CANCER IN VICTORIA
Author(s) -
Winn Robert D.,
Robinson Domenic R.,
Farmer Keith C.,
Bell Stephen W.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2008.04653.x
Subject(s) - medicine , colorectal cancer , pathological , general surgery , cancer , oncology
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) pathological reporting deficiencies have been shown to be common, with deviations from the suggested minimum dataset. Information from both surgeon and pathologist is necessary for a complete report. These deficiencies have been shown to be correctable with the use of synoptic reporting. We carried out an audit on a random sample of CRC pathological reports from the first 6 months of 2004 in Victoria, Australia, with the aim of documenting current CRC pathological reporting deficiencies. Methods: A random sample of pathological reports for CRC was obtained from the Cancer Council of Victoria. One hundred and sixteen of these reports were reviewed by a team of surgical and pathology trainees. Presence or absence of the various fields of the 1999 National Health and Medical Research Council minimum dataset for CRC reporting was recorded. Results: There were deviations from the minimal dataset. Most notable was the absence of the information on the apical node, the presence of distant metastasis and perineural invasion. Conclusions: The opportunity exists for improvement in the pathological reporting of CRC in Victoria through the uniform introduction of synoptic reporting.