Completeness of histopathology reporting of melanoma in a high-incidence geographical region.
BACKGROUND
Appropriate histopathology reporting helps to ensure effective therapy and prognosis.


OBJECTIVE
To examine compliance with clinical practice guidelines for histopathology reports of melanomas.


METHODS
A sample of melanoma histopathology reports in Queensland was audited for inclusion of recommended information. The quality of documentation was constructed and multivariate analysis used to determine factors affecting the quality of reporting practices.


RESULTS
Documentation of the most important features of melanoma was high: clear diagnosis (99.8%; 95% CI 98.6-100), thickness (99.8%; 95% CI 98.6-100), comment on adequacy of excision (87.9%; 95% CI 84.9-91.0) and measurement of margins (91.9%; 95% CI 88.8-91.4). Overall reporting of ulceration and regression was of lesser completeness (83.0 and 77.8%, respectively) and these features were more likely to be reported by high-volume laboratories (p < 0.001 and p = 0.037, respectively). This trend was not apparent for other features. Fewer than 50% of reports documented mitotic rate per square millimetre, predominant cell type, microsatellites, growth phase and desmoplasia.


CONCLUSIONS
Awareness of current reporting practices and identification of areas in which insufficiencies exist enable the revision of systems and potential improvements to the transfer of information to treating clinicians.
Thompson
B
B
Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control, Cancer Council Queensland, Spring Hill, Qld., Australia. bridiethompson@cancerqld.org.au
Austin
R
R
Coory
M
M
Aitken
J F
JF
Walpole
E
E
Francis
G
G
Fritschi
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008485:Medical Audit; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012107:Research Design; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery