title: Pathohistological classification systems in gastric cancer: diagnostic relevance and prognostic value.
abstract: Several pathohistological classification systems exist for the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Many studies have investigated the correlation between the pathohistological characteristics in gastric cancer and patient characteristics, disease specific criteria and overall outcome. It is still controversial as to which classification system imparts the most reliable information, and therefore, the choice of system may vary in clinical routine. In addition to the most common classification systems, such as the Laurén and the World Health Organization (WHO) classifications, other authors have tried to characterize and classify gastric cancer based on the microscopic morphology and in reference to the clinical outcome of the patients. In more than 50 years of systematic classification of the pathohistological characteristics of gastric cancer, there is no sole classification system that is consistently used worldwide in diagnostics and research. However, several national guidelines for the treatment of gastric cancer refer to the Laurén or the WHO classifications regarding therapeutic decision-making, which underlines the importance of a reliable classification system for gastric cancer. The latest results from gastric cancer studies indicate that it might be useful to integrate DNA- and RNA-based features of gastric cancer into the classification systems to establish prognostic relevance. This article reviews the diagnostic relevance and the prognostic value of different pathohistological classification systems in gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Felix Berlth, Elfriede Bollschweiler, Arnulf H Hoelscher, Stefan Moenig, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berlth
authors.affiliation: Felix Berlth, Elfriede Bollschweiler, Arnulf H Hoelscher, Stefan Moenig, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Elfriede
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bollschweiler
authors.affiliation: Felix Berlth, Elfriede Bollschweiler, Arnulf H Hoelscher, Stefan Moenig, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Drebber
authors.affiliation: Felix Berlth, Elfriede Bollschweiler, Arnulf H Hoelscher, Stefan Moenig, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Arnulf H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hoelscher
authors.affiliation: Felix Berlth, Elfriede Bollschweiler, Arnulf H Hoelscher, Stefan Moenig, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moenig
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D003657:Decision Making; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000592:standards; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Gastric cancer; Laurén; Pathohistology; World Health Organization classification; classification