[Quality control of 135 histopathological reports of colo-rectal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the information content in our surgical pathology reports of colon and rectum carcinoma.


METHODS
A third level hospital.


METHODS
Consecutive surgical reports from 1988 to 1994 were retrieved. The gross and histological variables with prognostic relevance according to the TNM system were registered using a checklist with standardized variables as proposed by two groups of pathologists. The adequacy of our reports was surveyed counting the number of histopathological variables in relation to the 11 prognostic parameters that must be included in routine surgical reports of large colon carcinomas.


RESULTS
The surgical reports were 135. The histologic type, tumor grade and histological tumor invasion were provided in most of the reports. In 90% the lymph node characteristics were described and 85% had gross and histologic margin assessment. But other variables were poorly informed, i.e. vascular invasion was informed in one case (0.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our surgical reports were considered adequate as 113/135 (84%) recorded more than eight prognostic variables. Insufficient data were: 1) a poor gross description; 2) lack of tumor grading in 12%; and 3) omission of anatomic site in 29%.
Departamento de Patología, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México, D.F.
E
E
Reyes
C
C
Bencosme
F
F
Candanedo
R
R
Cortés
A
A
Angeles-Angeles
D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011786:Quality Control; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
Control de calidad de 135 informes histopatológicos de carcinoma colo-rectal.