Population-based method for investigating adherence to international recommendations for pathology reporting of primary cutaneous melanoma: Results of a EUROCARE-5 high resolution study.
OBJECTIVE
Our study aim was to investigate the degree of adherence to international recommendations for cutaneous melanoma pathology reports at the population level by a EUROCARE high resolution study.


METHODS
The availability of nine characteristics - predominant cell type, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, mitotic index, histological subtype, growth phase, Clark level, Breslow thickness, ulceration, and sentinel-node biopsy - was examined on pathology reports of a random sample of 636 cases diagnosed in 2003-2005 in seven Italian cancer registries: Biella, Ferrara, Firenze, Latina, Ragusa, Reggio Emilia, Romagna. The odds of having (versus not having) information for all four core characteristics (last four listed above) were estimated.


RESULTS
Sentinel node biopsy was available most often, followed by Clark level, Breslow thickness, histological subtype and ulceration. Information on all nine characteristics was more often available in Biella and Ferrara (northern Italy) than elsewhere. Information on all four core items was available for 78% of cases. Odds of four-core-item availability were higher (than mean) in Biella and lower in Latina (centre) and Ragusa (south).


CONCLUSIONS
The availability of information important for staging and management was good overall on pathology reports, but varied with geography. It is likely to be improved by wider dissemination of reporting guidelines and adoption of a standardised synoptic reporting system.
Ragusa Cancer Registry, Department of Medical Prevention, Provincial Health Unit, Ragusa, Italy; Histopathology Unit, "MP Arezzo" Civic Hospital, Ragusa, Italy. Electronic address: rtumino@tin.it.
Rosario
R
Tumino
Analytical Epidemiology and Health Impact Unit, Department of Preventive and Predictive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: pamela.minicozzi@istitutotumori.mi.it.
Pamela
P
Minicozzi
Ragusa Cancer Registry, Department of Medical Prevention, Provincial Health Unit, Ragusa, Italy. Electronic address: frasca.regtumragusa@tiscali.it.
Graziella
G
Frasca
Analytical Epidemiology and Health Impact Unit, Department of Preventive and Predictive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: Claudia.Allemani@lshtm.ac.uk.
Claudia
C
Allemani
Clinical and Descriptive Epidemiology Unit, ISPO, Firenze, Italy. Electronic address: e.crocetti@ispo.toscana.it.
Emanuele
E
Crocetti
Ferrara Cancer Registry, Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, Ferrara, Italy. Electronic address: stefano.ferretti@unife.it.
Stefano
S
Ferretti
Piedmont Cancer Registry, Province of Biella (CPO), Epidemiology Unit, Biella, Italy. Electronic address: adrigiac@tin.it.
Adriano
A
Giacomin
Latina Cancer Registry, Centro Latina Fiori, Latina, Italy. Electronic address: maunatali@alice.it.
Maurilio
M
Natali
Statistical, Quality and Clinical Studies Unit, IRCCS Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Electronic address: Lucia.Mangone@ausl.re.it.
Lucia
L
Mangone
Romagna Cancer Registry, IRCCS Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Meldola, Forlì, Italy. Electronic address: F.Falcini@ausl.fo.it.
Fabio
F
Falcini
National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy. Electronic address: riccardo.capocaccia@istitutotumori.mi.it.
Riccardo
R
Capocaccia
Analytical Epidemiology and Health Impact Unit, Department of Preventive and Predictive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: milena.sant@istitutotumori.mi.it.
Milena
M
Sant
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011379:Prognosis; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
Epidemiology; Histopathology reports; Information; Melanoma; Prognostic factors