The World Health Organization's Revised Classification of Tumours of the Larynx, Hypopharynx, and Tracheax

1993 ◽  
Vol 102 (9) ◽  
pp. 666-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfio Ferlito

A second edition of the Histological Typing of Upper Respiratory Tract Tumours in the WHO series International Histological Classification of Tumours was published in 1991. The new edition has been entitled Histological Typing of Tumours of the Upper Respiratory Tract and Ear. The task of revising the first edition, which was published in 1978, was undertaken at the WHO Center for Upper Respiratory Tract Tumours by K. Shanmugaratnam in collaboration with L. H. Sobin and pathologists in 8 countries. Several tumour types have been added to the classification, and some have been redefined in light of current knowledge. This presentation outlines the changes in the revised WHO classification as regards tumours of the larynx, hypopharynx, and trachea and discusses the grounds for said revisions.

Author(s):  
Hans Michael Kvasnicka ◽  
Jürgen Thiele

The classification of the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to advocate the diagnostic importance of bone marrow (BM) morphology in the diagnostic workup of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). In this regard, distinctive histological BM patterns characterize specific subtypes of MPN and are the key to a meaningful clinical and molecular-defined risk stratification of patients. In this regard, the morphological denominator includes a characteristic megakaryocytic proliferation along with variable changes in the granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis. Importantly, diagnosis of MPN requires absence of relevant dysgranulopoiesis or dyserythropoiesis. In terms of clinical practice, the concept of precursor stages provides the possibility of an early intervention by appropriate therapeutic regimens that might prevent fatal complications like thrombosis and haemorrhage, especially in early stages of polycythaemia vera or in primary myelofibrosis. However, the WHO classification is not aimed to capture all biological true cases of MPN or guarantee a complete diagnostic specificity and thus might be in need of continuous improvement following clinical experience.


1989 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 580-582
Author(s):  
Mirjana Čačić ◽  
Božidar Oberman ◽  
Gordan Dvornik

According to the World Health Organization histological classification of bronchial tumors, clear and giant cell carcinomas are two subtypes of large cell carcinoma. As clear and giant cells can also be observed in other types of bronchial carcinoma, we investigated the frequency of the finding of these cells in different histological types. The tumor size and degree of differentiation, the amount of necrosis and keratinization, and the presence of giant and clear cells were analyzed. Statistical analysis by χ2 test showed (for all classified histological types of bronchial carcinomas, except small cell carcinoma) that: 1) larger tumors had a great quantity of giant cells (P < 0.05; P < 0.01), 2) large tumors had more clear cells (P < 0.05; P < 0.01) and 3) tumors with a greater amount of necrosis had a larger number of giant and clear cells (P<0.05; P < 0.01). Findings of an identical cytological characteristic can cause some difficulty in determination of bronchial cancer.


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