title: Pathology slide review in vulvar cancer does not change patient management.
abstract: Hypothesis. Pathology slide review in vulvar cancer is only necessary in a restricted number of cases. Methods. A retrospective chart review of all cases of vulvar cancer treated in a tertiary centre between January 1, 2000, and April 1, 2006. Histopathology reports from the referring and tertiary centre were compared. Results. 121 pathology reports from 112 patients were reviewed. Of the original reports, 56% were deemed adequate, commenting on tumor type and depth of infiltration; of the reviews, 83% were adequate. Conclusion. There were no discrepancies that influenced patient management. We suggest that vulvar cancer biopsies need to be reviewed only when the tumor is less than 10 mm in linear extension, when the infiltration is 1 mm or less, when there is no residual tumor on inspection, and in any nonsquamous cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 5201, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands ; Department of Radiation Therapy, Erasmus Medical Center, Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 5201, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5283-681X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beugeling
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ewing-Graham
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 5201, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Zineb
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6502-3973
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mzallassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 5201, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Helena C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: van Doorn