The pathological assessment of cystectomy specimens is important for accurate prognostic information and to inform adjuvant therapy decisions. However, there is limited evidence regarding the best approach to fixation, dissection, block selection and microscopic assessment of cystectomies. We report the results of an international survey of 212 pathologists and their approach to cystectomy pathology. There is variation at all stages of the specimen journey including in fixation and dissection techniques, and in the approach to evaluating residual tumour. This is particularly evident in the post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy setting where there is variable use of response scoring systems and differing approaches to sampling. We also find variation in the use of digital and molecular pathology in cystectomy specimens. Finally, we have suggested areas for future research in cystectomy pathological assessment.
Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology. 2024 Sep 07 [Epub ahead of print]
Jon Griffin, Arndt Hartmann, Eva Comperat
School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. ., Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany., Department of Pathology, Medical University Vienna, Währingergürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.