Handling and Reporting of Transurethral Resection Specimens of the Bladder in Europe: A Web-Based Survey by the European Network of Uropathology (ENUP)

Antonio Lopez-Beltran (1) , Ferran Algaba , Dan M Berney (2) , Liliane Boccon-Gibod , Camparo Phillipe (3) , David F Griffiths , Gregor Mikuz (4) , Rodolfo Montironi (5) , Murali Varma , Lars Egevad (6)

1 Pathology
2 Dept of Cellular Pathology
3 Pathology
4 Institute of Pathology
5 Institute of Pathological Anatomy and Histopathology, United Hospitals
6 Pathology Group

AIMS: The collection of information about European practices on handling and reporting of transurethral resection specimens of the bladder (TURB). METHODS AND RESULTS: The European Network of Uropathology is a communication network that includes 335 pathology laboratories in 15 West European countries. A web-based questionnaire was answered by 52.2% of members. Some routines were adopted by a majority: formalin fixation (92.5%), separate containers for tumour and resection base (72%) and embedding of the entire specimen (60%). Cancer along/in adipose tissue would be reported as pT3a by 19.5% and non-invasive urothelial carcinoma in prostatic ducts/glands as pT4a by 16.1%. Papillary urothelial neoplasia of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) is recognized by 72.6% but rarely reported. Immunohistochemistry is rarely or sometimes used for diagnosing bladder cancer by 91.7%, and most frequently used markers are CK20 (76.9%), CK7 (66.7%) and Ki67 (38.8%). Only 24.8% report prognostic markers with Ki67 (84.4%) and p53 (64.4%) being most common. Only 50.9% use the ISUP 1998/WHO 2004 grading system followed by WHO 1973 (43.4%) and WHO 1999 (31.4%). CONCLUSIONS: There is still variability in routine practice and a need for standardization of methodologies. These results may be helpful when judging what recommendations are reasonable to issue.

Mots clés: Medicine

Antonio Lopez-Beltran, Ferran Algaba, Dan M Berney, Liliane Boccon-Gibod, Camparo Phillipe, et al.. Handling and Reporting of Transurethral Resection Specimens of the Bladder in Europe: A Web-Based Survey by the European Network of Uropathology (ENUP). Histopathology, 2011, 58 (4), pp.579. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-2559.2011.03784.x⟩. ⟨hal-00616541⟩