The Quality of Pathology and its Reporting on Cancer Survival: The Need for Proforma Reporting

Abstract

Background: The histopathology report provides information that facilitates accurate staging of patients with cancer and also serves as a tool for the assessment of the quality of pathology in general. But, however the variability in form, content and quality of the pathology report often obviates this important role in the management of cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This report reviews the literature on the quality of pathology and its reporting on cancer prognostication and survival and in particular the role structured reporting formats play in improving the quality and utility of such reports. The review was done primarily through search of the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed covering the period 1950 to 2010 with key words quality, cancer, pathology, histopathology, report, proforma and synoptic. Result: The informational content of many routine pathology reports is shown to be inadequate for quality patient management. Conclusion: Proforma reporting of cancer cases is thus recommended.