Benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy on recurrence free survival per consensus molecular subtype in stage III colon cancer.

The consensus molecular subtype (CMS) classification divides colon tumors into four subtypes holding promise as a predictive biomarker. However, the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on recurrence free survival (RFS) per CMS in stage III patients remains inadequately explored. With this intention, we selected stage III colon cancer (CC) patients from the MATCH cohort (n = 575) and RadboudUMC (n = 276) diagnosed between 2005 and 2018.

European follow-up of incorrect biomarker results for colorectal cancer demonstrates the importance of quality improvement projects.

Biomarker analysis for colorectal cancer has been shown to be reliable in Europe with 97% of samples tested by EQA participants to be correctly classified. This study focuses on errors during the annual EQA assessment. The aim was to explore the causes and actions related to the observed errors and to provide feedback and assess any improvement between 2016 and 2017.

Accreditation, setting and experience as indicators to assure quality in oncology biomarker testing laboratories.

Background: Predictive biomarkers allow clinicians to optimise cancer treatment decisions. Therefore, molecular biomarker test results need to be accurate and swiftly available. To ensure quality of oncology biomarker testing, external quality assessments (EQA) for somatic variant analyses were organised.

Value of macrobiopsies and transanal endoscopic microsurgery in the histological work-up of rectal neoplasms: A retrospective study.

Aim: To evaluate a step up approach: Taking macrobiopsies and performing excision biopsies in patients with suspected rectal cancer in which biopsies taken though the flexible endoscope showed benign histology.

Methods: Patients with a rectal neoplasm who underwent flexible endoscopy and biopsies were included. In case of benign biopsies rigid rectoscopy and macrobiopsies were employed.

The ins and outs of molecular pathology reporting.

The raid evolution in molecular pathology resulting in an increasing complexity requires careful reporting. The need for standardisation is clearer than ever. While synoptic reporting was first used for reporting hereditary genetic diseases, it is becoming more frequent in pathology, especially molecular pathology reports too.