Interobserver Variation among Pathologists and Refinement of Criteria in Distinguishing Separate Primary Tumors from Intrapulmonary Metastases in Lung

Andrew G. Nicholson, Kathleen Torkko, Patrizia Viola, Edwina Duhig, Kim Geisinger, Alain C. Borczuk, Kenzo Hiroshima, Ming S. Tsao, Arne Warth, Sylvie Lantuejoul, Prudence A. Russell, Erik Thunnissen, Alberto Marchevsky, Mari Mino-Kenudson, Mary Beth Beasley, Johan Botling, Sanja Dacic, Yasushi Yatabe, Masayuki Noguchi, William D. TravisKeith Kerr, Fred R. Hirsch, Lucian R. Chirieac, Ignacio I. Wistuba, Andre Moreira, Jin Haeng Chung, Teh Ying Chou, Lukas Bubendorf, Gang Chen, Giuseppe Pelosi, Claudia Poleri, Frank C. Detterbeck, Wilbur A. Franklin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

Multiple tumor nodules are seen with increasing frequency in clinical practice. On the basis of the 2015 WHO classification of lung tumors, we assessed the reproducibility of the comprehensive histologic assessment to distinguish second primary lung cancers (SPLCs) from intrapulmonary metastases (IPMs), looking for the most distinctive histologic features. An international panel of lung pathologists reviewed a scanned sequential cohort of 126 tumors from 48 patients and recorded an agreed set of histologic features, including tumor typing and predominant pattern of adenocarcinoma, thereby opining whether the case was SPLC, IPM, or a combination thereof. Cohen κ statistics of 0.60 on overall assessment of SPLC or IPM indicated a good agreement. Likewise, there was good agreement (κ score 0.64, p < 0.0001) between WHO histologic pattern in individual cases and SPLC or IPM status, but the proportions diversified for histologic pattern and SPLC or IPM status (McNemar test, p < 0.0001). The strongest associations for distinguishing between SPLC and IPM were observed for nuclear pleomorphism, cell size, acinus formation, nucleolar size, mitotic rate, nuclear inclusions, intraalveolar clusters, and necrosis. Conversely, the associations for lymphocytosis, mucin content, lepidic growth, vascular invasion, macrophage response, clear cell change, acute inflammation keratinization, and emperipolesis did not reach significance with tumor extent. Comprehensive histologic assessment is recommended for distinguishing SPLC from IPM with good reproducibility among lung pathologists. In addition to main histologic type and predominant patterns of histologic subtypes, nuclear pleomorphism, cell size, acinus formation, nucleolar size, and mitotic rate strongly correlate with pathologic staging status.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)205-217
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2018

Keywords

  • Interobserver variation
  • Lung cancer
  • Multiple tumors
  • Pathology

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