Difference between university and private hospitals on lymph nodes harvest of surgical colorectal cancer specimens: the role of the pathologist

摘要

> face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">It has been demonstrated that lymph nodes harvest from surgical specimens of colorectal cancer is one of the most important features for appropriate staging of the disease and to plain the best treatment. The perception of differences in the number of harvest lymph nodes in surgical specimens of colorectal cancer by the same surgeons in different hospitals motivated this investigation. The aims of this study was to assess whether there is difference in the number of lymph nodes and some histopathological features in surgical specimens of colorectal cancer obtained by two surgeons who work both in a university hospital and in a private one. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 122 patients, obtaining data on the type of institution (university or private), demographic features, staging, tumor site, histological type, open or laparoscopic access, indication of radiotherapy, number of harvest lymph nodes, presence of vascular, lymphatic and neural invasions. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were operated in a university institution and 57 in two private institutions. There was no difference between groups in terms of age, stage, tumor site, details of radiotherapy and type of operation. The laparoscopic route was more common in the university institution. The median of lymph nodes harvested was 25 (P25-75: 15-34) in the university institution and 15 in the private ones (P25-75, 12-17) (p .0001). The finding of 12 or more lymph nodes was more common in academic institution (55/65 versus 40/57, p =. 024). The presence of information of lymphatic, vascular and perineural invasion was more common in the university institution. CONCLUSION: Keeping the same surgical technique and with comparable population of patients, there was considerable difference in the number of lymph nodes harvested between university and private institutions, as like as the report of other relevant data for the histopathological staging, which impacts indication for adjuvant therapies. The relationship between the surgical team and the pathologist should occur in all types of institutions, and the improvement of the quality of the pathological examination should occur in non-university institutions.