title: A survey of reporting of colorectal cancer in Scotland: compliance with guidelines and effect of proforma reporting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main purpose of the study was to present a baseline audit of reporting of colorectal cancers resection specimens in Scotland, audited against the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) standards (2007) and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) standards.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 consecutive rectal and 50 consecutive colonic cancer cases from 2011 were audited from 10 Scottish health boards involved in colorectal cancer reporting (n=953). The rates of reporting of serosal involvement, extramural venous invasion (EMVI) and the mean numbers of lymph nodes found were audited against RCPath standards and compared between units that routinely used a reporting proforma versus those that did not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The performance in reporting of rectal cancer was generally worse than for colonic cancer, with only three units meeting the RCPath standards for reporting of rectal cancer. There were significant differences between units that routinely used a proforma, with the non-proforma group failing to meet the minimum standards for both serosal involvement (6%) and EMVI (24%). In the non-proforma group, 56% of rectal cases had a mean lymph node count of 12 or more compared with 81% in the proforma group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences exist in the frequencies with which important adverse prognostic features are reported by pathologists across 10 Scottish health boards. This has potential implications for patient care. Health boards that make routine use of reporting proformas are more likely to meet RCPath guidelines for reporting of these important pathological parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukhtar
authors.affiliation: NHS Information Services Division, National Services Scotland, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McClements
authors.affiliation: NHS Information Services Division, National Services Scotland, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Carey
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003954:Diagnostic Services / Q000592:standards; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000592:standards; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008485:Medical Audit; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology