title: Interobserver variation in grading and staging of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis in relation to the clinical outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine interobserver variations in assessing grade and stage of penile squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the pathological features and clinical outcome in 75 patients with SCC of the penis, who were treated in participating urological centres between 1996 and 2005; the assessments of the local pathologists and the review pathologists were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was conformity in tumour grade in 67% and the assessment of tumour stage conformed in 84%; the combination assessment of both grade and stage conformed in 56%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate histological subtyping by the surgical pathologist demands standardized guidelines, in particular for histological grading, which is crucial for clinical treatment, but shows significant interobserver variation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold Heller Str. 7, D-24105 Kiel, Germany. c.naumann@urology.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: Carsten M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Naumann
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alkatout
authors.forename: Moritz F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hamann
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Najar
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hegele
authors.forename: Joanna B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Korda
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bolenz
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klöppel
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Jünemann
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Horst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015588:Observer Variation; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D010413:Penis / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors