Pathologists are able to differentiate reliably the lamina propria associated with Barrett's musculofibrous anomaly from submucosa in oesophageal endoscopic resections.

Aims: Endoscopic resection (ER) is the standard therapy for early oesophageal neoplasia and is used for diagnosis and treatment. Accurate staging is especially important, as further treatment depends on this. Because Barrett's mucosa often develops fibromuscular hyperplasia with a fibrotic lamina propria and reduplicated muscularis mucosae, pathologists have expressed concern that it may not be possible to differentiate lamina propria reliably from submucosa in such resections.

A pathologist's survey on the reporting of sessile serrated adenomas/polyps.

Aim: The purpose of this survey was to ascertain reporting habits of pathologists towards sessile serrated adenomas/polyps (SSA/P).

Methods: A questionnaire designed to highlight diagnostic criteria, approach and clinical implications of SSA/P was circulated electronically to 45 pathologists in the UK and North America.

Results: Forty-three of 45 pathologists agreed to participate.

Comparing virtual with conventional microscopy for the consensus diagnosis of Barrett's neoplasia in the AspECT Barrett's chemoprevention trial pathology audit.

Aims: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of conventional versus virtual microscopy for the diagnosis of Barrett's neoplasia.

Methods And Results: Sixty-one biopsies from 35 ASPirin Esomeprazole ChemopreventionTrial (AspECT) trial patients were given a Barrett's neoplasia score (1-5) by a panel of five pathologists using conventional microscopy. Thirty-three biopsies positive for neoplasia were digitized and rescored blindly by virtual microscopy.

Carcinoma arising within an anal gland.

Anal gland carcinoma (AGC) is rare, and its innocuous presentation and developing immunohistochemical profile make the diagnosis of it challenging. Predominant presenting symptoms include anal pain, rectal bleeding and the presence of a perianal mass in advanced stages of the disease. Histological profile commonly reveals an intramural adenocarcinoma with normal unaffected overlying anorectal mucosa.

Mass vaccination of health workers in Peru.

When Peru’s government committed to immunizing the country’s 350 000 health-care workers against hepatitis B, many policy-makers expected the greatest challenge to be logistics. Naomi Mapstone reports.