Extreme winter weather: A force to be remembered in dermatopathology.

It is important for the dermatopathologist to be adept in differentiating tissue artifacts from normal tissue variants and pathologies. Numerous tissue artifacts have been described to date; however, once we are familiar with the common artifacts that appear in our practice, we may not immediately recognize other confounders. For example, dermatopathologists in more temperate regions of the country may not be familiar with freezing artifact. In this case series, we present three common diagnoses in dermatopathology that were obscured by the extreme winter weather that severely impacted the Southern United States in February 2021 and discuss methods to prevent these artifacts.

Histopathological characteristics and artificial intelligence for predicting tumor mutational burden-high colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H), which is detected with gene panel testing, is a promising biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, in clinical practice, not every patient is tested for TMB-H using gene panel testing. We aimed to identify the histopathological characteristics of TMB-H CRC for efficient selection of patients who should undergo gene panel testing. Moreover, we attempted to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based algorithm to predict TMB-H CRC directly from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) slides. METHODS: We used two CRC cohorts tested for TMB-H, and whole-slide H&E digital images were obtained from the cohorts. The Japanese CRC (JP-CRC) cohort (N = 201) was evaluated to detect the histopathological characteristics of TMB-H using H&E slides. The JP-CRC cohort and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) CRC cohort (N = 77) were used to develop a CNN-based TMB-H prediction model from the H&E digital images. RESULTS: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were significantly associated with TMB-H CRC (P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting TMB-H CRC was 0.910. We developed a CNN-based TMB-H prediction model. Validation tests were conducted 10 times using randomly selected slides, and the average AUC for predicting TMB-H slides was 0.934. CONCLUSIONS: TILs, a histopathological characteristic detected with H&E slides, are associated with TMB-H CRC. Our CNN-based model has the potential to predict TMB-H CRC directly from H&E slides, thereby reducing the burden on pathologists. These approaches will provide clinicians with important information about the applications of ICIs at low cost.

Statistical Methods in Experimental Pathology: A Review and Primer.

Correct use of statistical methods is important to ensure the reliability and value of the published experimental pathology literature. Considering increasing interest in the quality of statistical reporting in pathology, the statistical methods used in 10 recent issues of the American Journal of Pathology were reviewed. The statistical tests performed in the articles were summarized, with attention to their implications for contemporary pathology research and practice. Among the 195 articles identified, 93% reported using one or more statistical tests. Retrospective statistical review of the articles revealed several key findings. First, tests for normality were infrequently reported, and parametric hypothesis tests were overutilized. Second, studies reporting multisample hypothesis tests (eg, analysis of variance) infrequently performed post hoc tests to explore differences between study groups. Third, correlation, regression, and survival analysis techniques were underutilized. On the basis of these findings, a primer on relevant statistical concepts and tests is presented, including issues related to optimal study design, descriptive and comparative statistics, and regression, correlation, survival, and genetic data analysis.

Biosafety procedures for handling intraoperative surgical samples during COVID-19 pandemic: an Italian pathology laboratory experience.

Up to now, Italy is one of the European centers with the most active Coronavirus cases with 233,836 positive cases and 33,601 total deaths as of June 3rd. During this pandemic and dramatic emergency, Italian hospitals had also to face neoplastic pathologies, that still afflict the Italian population, requiring urgent surgical and oncological treatment. In our Cancer Center Hospital, the high volume of surgical procedures have demanded an equally high volume of intraoperative pathological examinations, but also posed an additional major challenge for the safety of the staff involved. The current commentary reports our experience in the past two months (since March 9th) for a total of 1271 frozen exams from 893 suspect COVID-19 patients (31 confirmed).

Current and Historical Trends in Diversity by Race, Ethnicity, and Sex Within the US Pathology Physician Workforce.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed historical and current gender, racial, and ethnic diversity trends within US pathology graduate medical education (GME) and the pathologist workforce. METHODS: Data from online, publicly available sources were assessed for significant differences in racial, ethnic, and sex distribution in pathology trainees, as well as pathologists in practice or on faculty, separately compared with the US population and then each other using binomial tests. RESULTS: Since 1995, female pathology resident representation has been increasing at a rate of 0.45% per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.61; P < .01), with pathology now having significantly more females (49.8%) compared to the total GME pool (45.4%; P < .0001). In contrast, there was no significant trend in the rate of change per year in black or American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AI/AN/NH/PI) resident representation (P = .04 and .02). Since 1995, underrepresented minority (URM) faculty representation has increased by 0.03% per year (95% CI, 0.024-0.036; P < .01), with 7.6% URM faculty in 2018 (5.2% Hispanic, 2.2% black, 0.2% AI/AN/NH/PI). CONCLUSIONS: This assessment of pathology trainee and physician workforce diversity highlights significant improvements in achieving trainee gender parity. However, there are persistent disparities in URM representation, with significant underrepresentation of URM pathologists compared with residents.

Reevaluation of the US Pathologist Workforce Size.

Importance: There is currently no national organization that publishes its data that serves as the authoritative source of the pathologist workforce in the US. Accurate physician numbers are needed to plan for future health care service requirements. Objective: To assess the accuracy of current pathologist workforce estimates in the US by examining why divergency appears in different published resources. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study examined the American Board of Pathology classification for pathologist primary specialty and subspecialties and analyzed previously published reports from the following data sources: the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), a 2013 College of American Pathologists (CAP) report, a commercially available version of the American Medical Assoication (AMA) Physician Masterfile, and an unpublished data summary from June 10, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Number of physicians classified as pathologists. Results: The most recent AAMC data from 2017 (published in 2018) reported 12 839 physicians practicing "anatomic/clinical pathology," which is a subset of the whole. In comparison, the current AMA Physician Masterfile, which is not available publicly, listed 21 292 active pathologists in June 2019. The AMA Physician Masterfile includes all pathologists in 15 subspecialized training areas as identified by the ACGME. By contrast, AAMC's data, which derive from the AMA Physician Masterfile data, only count physicians primarily associated with 3 general categories of pathologists and 1 subspecialty category (ie, chemical pathology). Thus, the AAMC pathology workforce estimate does not include those whose principal work is in 11 subspecialty areas, such as blood banking or transfusion medicine, cytopathology, hematopathology, or microbiology. An additional discrepancy relates to the ACGME residency (specialties) and fellowship (subspecialties) training programs in which pathologists with training in dermatopathology appear as dermatologists and pathologists with training in molecular genetic pathology appear as medical geneticists. Conclusions and Relevance: This analysis found that most sources reported only select categories of the pathologist workforce rather than the complete workforce. The discordant nature of reporting may pertain to other medical specialties that have undergone increased subspecialization during the past 2 decades (eg, surgery and medicine). Reconsideration of the methods for determining the pathologist workforce and for all workforces in medicine appears to be needed.

Significant inter- and intra-laboratory variation in grading of invasive breast cancer: A nationwide study of 33,043 patients in the Netherlands.

Accurate, consistent and reproducible grading by pathologists is of key-importance for identification of individual patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC) that will or will not benefit from adjuvant systemic treatment. We studied the laboratory-specific grading variation using nationwide real-life data to create insight and awareness in grading variation. Synoptic pathology reports of all IBC resection-specimens, obtained between 2013 and 2016, were retrieved from the nationwide Dutch Pathology Registry (PALGA). Absolute differences in laboratory-proportions of Grades I-III were compared to the national reference. Multivariable logistic regression provided laboratory-specific odds ratios (ORs) for high- vs. low-grade IBC. 33,792 IBC pathology reports of 33,043 patients from 39 laboratories were included, of which 28.1% were reported as Grade I (range between laboratories 16.3-43.3%), 47.6% as Grade II (38.4-57.8%), and 24.3% as Grade III (15.5-34.3%). Based on national guidelines, the indication for adjuvant chemotherapy was dependent on histologic grade in 29.9% of patients. After case-mix correction, 20 laboratories (51.3%) showed a significantly deviant OR. Significant grading differences were also observed among pathologists within laboratories. In this cohort of 33,043 breast cancer patients, we observed substantial inter- and intra-laboratory variation in histologic grading. It can be anticipated that this has influenced outcome including exposure to unnecessary toxicity, since choice of adjuvant chemotherapy was dependent on grade in nearly a third of patients. Better standardization and training seems warranted.

Estimates of Within-Subject Biological Variation Derived from Pathology Databases: An Approach to Allow Assessment of the Effects of Age, Sex, Time between Sample Collections, and Analyte Concentration on Reference Change Values.

BACKGROUND: Within-subject biological variation data (CVI) are used to establish quality requirements for assays and allow calculation of the reference change value (RCV) for quantitative clinical laboratory tests. The CVI is generally determined using a large number of samples from a small number of individuals under controlled conditions. The approach presented here is to use a small number of samples (n = 2) that have been collected for routine clinical purposes from a large number of individuals. METHODS: Pairs of sequential results from adult patients were extracted from a routine pathology database for 29 common chemical and hematological tests. Using a statistical process to identify a central gaussian distribution in the ratios of the result pairs, the total result variation for individual results was determined for 26 tests. The CVI was then calculated by removing the effect of analytical variation. RESULTS: This approach produced estimates of CVI that, for most of the analytes in this study, show good agreement with published values. The data demonstrated minimal effect of sex, age, or time between samples. Analyte concentration was shown to affect the distributions with first results more distant from the population mean more likely to be followed by a result closer to the mean. DISCUSSION: The process described here has allowed rapid and simple production of CVI data. The technique requires no patient intervention and replicates the clinical environment, although it may not be universally applicable. Additionally, the effect of regression to the mean described here may allow better interpretation of sequential patient results.

Statistical Guidance for Reviewers of Toxicologic Pathology.

Study design, statistical analysis, interpretation of results, and conclusions should be a part of all research papers. Statistics are integral to each of these components and are therefore necessary to evaluate during manuscript peer review. Research published in Toxicological Pathology is often focused on animal studies that may seek to compare defined treatment groups in randomized controlled experiments or focus on the reliability of measurements and diagnostic accuracy of observed lesions from preexisting studies. Reviewers should distinguish scientific research goals that aim to test sufficient effect size differences (i.e., minimizing false positive rates) from common toxicologic goals of detecting a harmful effect (i.e., minimizing false negative rates). This journal comprises a wide range of study designs that require different kinds of statistical assessments. Therefore, statistical methods should be described in enough detail so that the experiment can be repeated by other research groups. The misuse of statistics will impede reproducibility.

Fatores de risco associados ao desenvolvimento de alterações cervicouterinas em mulheres que realizam exame citopatológico / Risk factors associated to the development of changes in the cervix of uterus in women undergoing a cytopathological examination

Introdução: O câncer de colo do útero ainda é um sério problema de saúde pública em nosso país. Aparece em terceiro lugar entre os tipos de câncer mais comum entre as mulheres. Vários são os fatores envolvidos na etiologia desse câncer e suas lesões precursoras. Objetivo: Verificar os principais cofatores associados às alterações cervicouterinas. Casuística e Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo analítico e documental, realizado em um laboratório do município de Surubim-PE, incluindo resultados de exames citopatológicos do período de janeiro de 2014 a dezembro de 2015. Os dados foram avaliados pelo programa PRISM versão 7.0, por meio do teste Qui-quadrado, com intervalo de confiança 95% e razão de prevalência (RP). Resultados: Foram incluídos 1.200 resultados de exames de mulheres na faixa etária entre 14 e 78 anos. Quarenta e três por cento das mulheres pertenciam à faixa etária entre 31 e 47 anos e 86,6% haviam realizado seu último exame citopatológico a menos de três anos. A faixa etária entre 14 e 30 anos esteve associada a um maior risco para o desenvolvimento das anormalidades cervicais (p< 0,001 e OR 2,9). Mulheres que realizaram o exame citopatológico a menos de três anos apresentaram uma maior associação com a presença de lesões intraepiteliais escamosas de baixo grau (LSIL) e atipias escamosas (p < 0,0001 e OR 11,3). A lesão intraepitelial escamosa de baixo grau foi a anormalidade cervical de maior frequência, correspondendo a 46,3%. Mulheres com presença de Gardnerella vaginalis e/ou Mobiluncus spp. apresentaram associação com a presença de anormalidades cervicais (p< 0,0001). Conclusão: Mulheres abaixo de 30 anos, que realizaram exame citopatológico a menos de três anos ou apresentam Gardnerella vaginalis e/ou Mobiluncus spp.devem ser acompanhadas quanto aos possíveis riscos associados ao desenvolvimentode alterações cervicouterinas.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is still a serious public health problem in our country. It appears third among the most common types of cancer among women. Several are the factors involved in the etiology of this cancer and its precursor lesions. Objective: Verify the main cofactors associated with the changes in the cervix of the uterus. Patients and Methods:This is an analytical and documentary study, carried out in a laboratory in the municipality of Surubim-PE, including results of cytopathological exams from January 2014 to December 2015. Data were evaluated using the software PRISM version 7.0, by the Chi-square test, with 95% confidence interval and prevalence ratio (PR). Results: We included 1,200 tests results of women in the age between 14 and 78 years. Forty-three percent of the women were in the age group from 31 to 47 years and 86.6% had performed their last cytopathological examination less than three years. The age group ranging from 14 to 30 years was associated with a higher risk for the development of cervical abnormalities (p< 0.001 and OR 2.9). Women who underwent cytopathological examination less than three years presented a greater association with the presence of low squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and squamous atypia (p< 0.0001 and OR 11.3). The low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion was the most frequent cervical abnormality, corresponding to 46.3%. Conclusion: Women under 30 years, who performed cytopathological examination at less than three years or present Gardnerella vaginalis and / or Mobiluncus spp. should be accompanied for the possible risks associated with the development of the changes in the cervix of uterus.

Media messaging in diagnosis of acute CXR pathology: an interobserver study among residents.

The objectives of the study were to determine whether diagnostic accuracy and reliability by on-call teams is affected by communicating chest radiograph (CXR) images via instant messaging on smartphones in comparison to viewing on a workstation. 12 residents viewed 100 CXR images each with a 24% positive rate for significant or acute findings sent to their phones via a popular instant messaging application and reported their findings if any. After an interval of 42 days they viewed the original DICOM images on personal computers and again reported their findings. There were no statistically significant differences in accuracy, agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value or negative predictive value between desktop workstation viewed images and images sent via the mobile application. Media messaging is a useful adjunct for quick second opinions on radiological images, without significant decay in diagnostic accuracy. If technical, ethical and legal issues are addressed, it could be incorporated into practice as a useful adjunct.

[Practices in infectious pathology in France in 2015. Results of the national survey]. / Pratique de la pathologie infectieuse en France en 2015. Résultats d'un questionnaire national.

Pathologists have been, are and will be always implicated in the diagnosis of infectious and tropical diseases. The resurgence of opportunistic infections due to the development of immunosuppressive drugs, the increase of migratory involvements draining tropical infections and the last epidemics spotlight the importance of pathologists in the field of infectious diseases. However, cancer is nowadays the first preoccupation of pathologists, which is constantly subject to evaluate diagnostic and prognostic markers and factors predictive to targeted therapy response or immunotherapy. As tumor pathology, infectious diseases require more sophisticated and rapidly changing complementary techniques, appraisals and perhaps a national network of diagnosis. The infectious pathology club committee carries out here a census of methods used in the diagnosis of infectious diseases in France in 2015 and particularly the different techniques used by laboratories to perform infectious diseases diagnosis. This will lay down the foundation of a future national organization of the infectious pathology in providing efficient services (diagnostic support, complementary tools) for the community of French pathologists in this specific domain of competence.

Dermatopathology and Social Media: A Survey of 131 Medical Professionals From 29 Countries.

CONTEXT: - Use of social media in the medical profession is an increasingly prevalent and sometimes controversial practice. Many doctors believe social media is the future and embrace it as an educational and collaborative tool. Others maintain reservations concerning issues such as patient confidentiality, and legal and ethical risks. OBJECTIVE: - To explore the utility of social media as an educational and collaborative tool in dermatopathology. DESIGN: - We constructed 2 identical surveys containing questions pertaining to the responders' demographics and opinions regarding the use of social media for dermatopathology. The surveys were available on Twitter and Facebook for a period of 10 days. RESULTS: - The survey was completed by 131 medical professionals from 29 different countries: the majority (81%, 106 of 131) were 25 to 45 years of age. Most replied that they access Facebook or Twitter several times a day (68%, 89 of 131) for both professional and social purposes (77%, 101 of 131). The majority agreed that social media provides useful and relevant information, but stated limitations they would like addressed. CONCLUSIONS: - Social media is a powerful tool with the ability to instantaneously share dermatopathology with medical professionals across the world. This study reveals the opinions and characteristics of the population of medical professionals currently using social media for education and collaboration in dermatopathology.

Fewer seniors from United States allopathic medical schools are filling pathology residency positions in the Main Residency Match, 2008-2017.

Some pathologists have observed that fewer trainees from US medical schools are entering pathology residency. This trend was measured and further explored using Main Residency Match (MRM) data from 2008 to 2017, obtained from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Over the past decade, there was an increase of 93 (508 in 2008 versus 601 in 2017, an 18.3% increase) pathology positions offered in the MRM. However, the proportion of pathology residency positions filled in the MRM which were taken by trainees from US medical schools decreased from 77.7% to 50.1% over this timespan. This was primarily due to fewer seniors from US allopathic medical schools filling pathology positions in the MRM (298 in 2008 versus 216 in 2017, a 27.5% decrease). Compared to 14 other medical specialties, pathology had the largest decline in the proportion of residency positions filled in the MRM which were taken by seniors from US allopathic medical schools (63.8% in 2008 versus 39.6% in 2017). Furthermore, pathology now has the lowest percentage of residency positions filled in the MRM, which were taken by seniors from US allopathic medical schools. The primary reason for this decline was because fewer seniors from US allopathic medical schools participated in the MRM for pathology positions (326 in 2008 versus 232 in 2017, a 28.8% decrease); however, the underlying reasons for this decline are unknown. In conclusion, over the past decade, substantially fewer seniors from US allopathic medical schools sought/filled pathology residency positions in the MRM. These findings are relevant for pathology residency recruitment, especially in the context of a projected decline in US pathologist workforce.

Changes in pathology test ordering by early career general practitioners: a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the number of pathology tests ordered by general practice registrars during their first 18-24 months of clinical general practice. DESIGN: Longitudinal analysis of ten rounds of data collection (2010-2014) for the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) study, an ongoing, multicentre, cohort study of general practice registrars in Australia. The principal analysis employed negative binomial regression in a generalised estimating equations framework (to account for repeated measures on registrars).Setting, participants: General practice registrars in training posts with five of 17 general practice regional training providers in five Australian states. The registrar participation rate was 96.4%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Number of pathology tests requested per consultation. The time unit for analysis was the registrar training term (the 6-month full-time equivalent component of clinical training); registrars contributed data for up to four training terms. RESULTS: 876 registrars contributed data for 114 584 consultations. The number of pathology tests requested increased by 11% (95% CI, 8-15%; P < 0.001) per training term. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to expectations, pathology test ordering by general practice registrars increased significantly during their first 2 years of clinical practice. This causes concerns about overtesting. As established general practitioners order fewer tests than registrars, test ordering may peak during late vocational training and early career practice. Registrars need support during this difficult period in the development of their clinical practice patterns.

How does it feel to be a pathology resident? Results of a survey on experiences and job satisfaction during pathology residency.

Residents' career choices and professional motivation can be affected from perception of their role and recognition within a medical team as well as their educational and workplace experiences. To evaluate pathology trainees' perceptions of their pathology residency, we conducted a 42-item survey via a web-based link questioning respondents' personal and institutional background, workplace, training conditions, and job satisfaction level. For the 208 residents from different European countries who responded, personal expectations in terms of quality of life (53%) and scientific excitement (52%) were the most common reasons why they chose and enjoy pathology. Sixty-six percent were satisfied about their relationship with other people working in their department, although excessive time spent on gross examination appeared less satisfactory. A set residency training program (core curriculum), a set annual scientific curriculum, and a residency program director existed in the program of 58, 60, and 69% respondents, respectively. Most respondents (76%) considered that pathologists have a direct and high impact on patient management, but only 32% agreed that pathologists cooperate with clinicians/surgeons adequately. Most (95%) found that patients barely know what pathologists do. Only 22% considered pathology and pathologists to be adequately positioned in their country's health care system. Almost 84% were happy to have chosen pathology, describing it as "puzzle solving," "a different fascinating world," and "challenging while being crucial for patient management." More than two thirds (72%) considered pathology and pathologists to face a bright future. However, a noticeable number of respondents commented on the need for better physical working conditions, a better organized training program, more interaction with experienced pathologists, and deeper knowledge on molecular pathology.

El eterno problema de los falsos positivos en el cribado mamográfico / The eternal problem of false positives in mammography screening

Fundamento: Las mujeres que se someten al cribado mamográfico pueden recibir resultados falsos positivos (FP) y falsos negativos (FN), con la consecuente petición de más pruebas de imagen y biopsias. Es desconocido si estos resultados varían con la edad, con el tiempo desde el último cribado y con los factores de riesgo personales. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar los factores asociados con los resultados FP y FN en las mamografías digitales, y los procedimientos de imagen y biopsias añadidos a estos entre las mujeres sometidas al cribado poblacional del cáncer de mama (CPCM). Método: Diseño: análisis de datos proveniente de registros sanitarios de 5 Centros de Vigilancia de EE.UU. mediante pruebas de imagen del cáncer de mama (CM) con vínculos con bases de datos de anatomía patológica y de registro de tumores. Pacientes incluidos: 405.191 mujeres de entre 40-89 años, sometidas al cribado mamográfico digital entre los años 2003-2011. Un total de 2.963 CM invasivos o carcinoma ductal situ fueron diagnosticados dentro los 12 meses del cribado mamográfico. Medidas: se calcularon las tasas de los resultados FP y FN y las recomendaciones de pruebas de imagen y biopsias consecuentes a estos, tras una única intervención mamográfica. Se compararon con la edad, intervalo desde el último cribado y factores de riesgo. Resultados: La tasa de resultados FP fue de 121,2 por 1.000 mujeres cribadas (IC 95%: 105,6-138,7) y la tasa de recomendaciones para practicar pruebas de imagen adicionales de 124,9 por 1.000 mujeres (IC 95%: 109,3-142,3), siendo más altas entre las mujeres entre 40-49 años de edad y disminuyendo a medida que la edad aumentaba. Las tasas de resultados FN fue de 1,0 a 1,5 por 1.000 mujeres cribadas y las tasas para realizar una biopsia ulterior de 15,6 a 17,5 por 1.000 mujeres y no varió significativamente con la edad. Por otro lado los resultados no variaron con el tiempo transcurrido desde el último cribado mamográfico. Las tasas de FP fueron más alta en mujeres con factores de riesgo tales como historia familiar de CM, resultados previos de lesiones benignas por biopsia, mamas de alta densidad, en mujeres más jóvenes y en aquellas con un índice de masa corporal bajo. Como limitaciones se apuntan factores confusores a aquellos que producirían variaciones en las características de los pacientes y en los resultados según las regiones geográficas. Del mismo modo, los datos relativos al número de familiares de primer o segundo grado con CM y aquellos diagnósticos asociados con resultados benignos de biopsias previas no fueron estudiados. Conclusiones: Concluyen que los resultados FP con la recomendación de realizar pruebas de imagen adicionales son comunes entre las mujeres que se someten a esta prueba de cribado poblacional, con especial repercusión en mujeres jóvenes y en aquellas que tuvieron factores de riesgo. Las biopsias, a consecuencia de estas técnicas son menos frecuentes. Las tasas de FN, sin embargo, son muy bajas (AU)

No disponible(AU)

Value of Specialist Pathology Review in a Single Statewide Gynecologic Cancer Service.

OBJECTIVE: A case review by specialist diagnostic pathologists as part of a Gynecologic Oncology Multi-disciplinary Tumor group has the potential to influence the management of patients with cancer. The primary aim of this study was to determine the frequency of diagnostic discrepancies between the initial (nonspecialist) and final pathological diagnoses in cases referred to the Gynecologic Oncology Tumor Conference (TC) in Western Australia and the impact of such revised diagnosis on clinical management. A secondary aim was to assess the evolving workload encountered by the TC during a 5-year interval. METHODS: The records of the weekly TC for the 2 calendar years 2008 and 2013 were examined, and histological and cytological specimens that had been initially assessed by "outside" (nonspecialist) pathology departments, and subsequently reviewed by specialist pathologists, were assessed. The initial and final diagnoses were compared, and where the pathological findings were amended upon review, it was determined whether the change affected clinical management. Diagnostic discrepancies that resulted in a change in patient management were classified as major, whereas discrepancies that did not affect patient management were classified as minor. RESULTS: A total of 481 outside cases were included among 2387 cases presented for histological review at the TC during the 2 years. For outside cases alone, the incidence of major diagnostic discrepancies was 3.4% in 2008, 5.5% in 2013 (no significant difference, P = 0.3787), and 4.6% for the 2 years combined. A recommendation for surgery was the most common change in clinical management as a result of major discrepancy. The minor discrepancy rate was 4.4% of outside cases for both years combined. Pathological discrepancies (major and minor) of the uterine corpus and cervix were most frequent, followed by those of the vulva and ovary. There was a 48.4% increase in total case discussions at the TC during the interval period with a significant rise in nonmalignant cases, 29.8% of the total cases in 2008 compared with 36.8% in 2013 (P = 0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: Nonspecialist pathology departments maintained a high level of reporting accuracy during the interval period, with the major discrepancy rate not changing significantly between 2008 and 2013. Specimens from the uterine corpus and cervix in particular may prove diagnostically challenging on occasion. A pathology review of outside cases by a tertiary-based laboratory in conjunction with a TC can identify a small but clinically significant number of cases that lead to a change in clinical management. It is uncertain whether this affects patient outcomes.