title: Interobserver variability amongst gastrointestinal pathologists in assessing prognostic parameters of malignant colorectal polyps: a cause for concern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant colorectal polyps (MCRP) have become a major challenge in the field of coloproctology from diagnosis to full treatment. One important facet of the challenge is the histopathological staging of the lesion and identifying various prognostic parameters. The primary aim of this study was to find the interobserver variation amongst 4 experienced gastrointestinal pathologists when assessing important parameters and staging systems (Haggitt, Kikuchi and Ueno) in MCRPs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four experienced gastrointestinal pathologists independently assessed 56 cases of MCRP, and each pathologist completed a pro forma for each case. The results were collated and statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant variation in the assessments using the various published staging systems agreed upon on important prognostic parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  None of the staging systems used is suitable for all polyp types or has good reproducibility. There is an urgent need to make pathologists' assessment of MCRPs easier and more reproducible.
authors: Department of Histopathology, University Hospital South Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Davenport
authors: Department of Medical Statistics, University Hospital South Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Morris
authors: Department of Histopathology, University Hospital South Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Pritchard
authors: Department of Histopathology, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Bolton, UK.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Salmo
authors: Department of Histopathology, University Hospital South Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Scott
authors: Department of Histopathology, Spire Manchester, Russel Road, Manchester, M16 8AJ, UK. najibhaboubi@hotmail.com.
authors: N Y
authors: NY
authors: Haboubi
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015588:Observer Variation; D000072142:Pathologists; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Cancer; Malignant; Observer; Polyp; Staging; Variability