Mucinous tumors of the ovary: interobserver diagnostic variability and utility of sectioning protocols.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the interobserver variability of the subclassification of ovarian mucinous tumors and the utility of different sectioning protocols.


METHODS
Six pathologists retrospectively reclassified 73 mucinous tumors (30 adenomas, 22 low malignant potential tumors, and 21 carcinomas). Using probabilities, the accuracy of limited sectioning protocols was compared with that of a one section per centimeter protocol.


RESULTS
The mean kappa statistic was 0.56, indicating only good agreement. Although a limited sectioning protocol would result in misdiagnosing cases of stage IA carcinoma as a low malignant potential tumor, the overall prognosis of patients with low malignant potential tumors would not markedly change. The prognosis of a patient with a low malignant potential tumor using limited sectioning was within the prognostic range owing to interobserver variability alone.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that extensive sectioning of ovarian mucinous tumors has limited benefit.
Raab
S S
SS
Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52241-1009, USA.
Robinson
R A
RA
Jensen
C S
CS
Ozkutlu
D
D
O'Reilly
P O
PO
Savell
V H
VH
Thomas
P A
PA
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018291:Cystadenoma, Mucinous / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016610:Tissue Embedding