Accuracy of frozen section diagnosis in gynecology

Intraoperative frozen section evaluation of ovarian sex cord-stromal tumours and their mimics: a study of 121 cases with emphasis on potential diagnostic pitfalls

Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumours (SCSTs) present diagnostic difficulties during frozen section (FS) consultations due to their diverse morphology. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of FS evaluation of SCSTs in our institution, as well as to examine the reasons leading to incorrect FS diagnosis. Cases mimicking SCSTs and diagnosed as such during FS were also highlighted. We analysed 121 ovarian SCST cases and their mimics which underwent FS consultations over a 10-year period, to evaluate FS accuracy, reasons for deferrals and discrepancies. FS diagnoses were concordant, deferred and discrepant compared to the final diagnosis in 50 (41.3%), 39 (32.2%) and 32 (26.5%) cases, respectively. Major discrepancies (9/121, 7.4%) were mostly related to the diagnosis of adult granulosa cell tumour (AGCT). A fibromatous AGCT was misinterpreted as fibroma on FS, while a cystic AGCT was called a benign cyst. Conversely, a mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma, a sertoliform endometrioid carcinoma and a thecoma were misinterpreted as AGCT on FS. Another discrepant case was a Krukenberg tumour with prominent fibromatous stroma in which malignant signet ring cells were overlooked and misinterpreted as fibroma. Minor discrepancies were primarily associated with fibroma (21/23, 91.3%), wherein minor but potentially impactful details such as cellular fibroma and mitotically active cellular fibroma were missed due to sampling issues and misinterpretation as leiomyoma. FS evaluation for ovarian SCSTs demonstrated an overall accuracy of 78.5%, 81.0% and 81.8% for benign, uncertain/low malignant potential and malignant categories, respectively. There was no FS-related adverse clinical impact in all cases with available follow-up information (120/121 cases). Intraoperative FS evaluation of ovarian SCSTs is challenging. A small number of cases were misinterpreted, with AGCTs being the primary group where errors occur. Awareness of common diagnostic pitfalls and difficulties, alongside application of a stepwise approach, including (1) obtaining comprehensive clinical information, (2) thorough macroscopic examination and directed sampling, (3) meticulous microscopic examination with consideration of pitfalls and mimics, (4) effective communication with surgeons in difficult cases, and (5) consultation of subspecialty colleagues in challenging cases, will enhance pathologists' reporting accuracy and management of such cases in the future.

Exploring the Diagnostic Challenges of Uterine Lesions in Frozen Section: A Comprehensive Study at a Tertiary Care Center

Introduction Uterine masses are commonly submitted for frozen section, to guide the surgeon, regarding the type and extent of the procedure during surgery. Despite the technical difficulties in processing, sectioning, and staining of frozen section samples, it remains a fairly reliable intraoperative tool. Aim This study aims to analyze the diverse spectrum of uterine masses sent for frozen sections for two years. In addition, it aims to analyze the histomorphology of the uterine masses sent for the frozen section and correlate it with that of the routine histopathological findings, thereby justifying the diagnostic value of the frozen section with this study. Furthermore, the study aims to classify the lesions into benign and malignant, quantify their frequency, and list the most common lesions seen in the uterine mass specimens sent for frozen section analysis. Methodology This retrospective descriptive study includes data from January 2021 to December 2022, retrieved from the archives of the Department of Pathology at Saveetha Medical College. This study includes a total of 76 cases, including all the uterine masses sent for frozen section analysis during the study period. Results Of the total of 76 cases received, 17 (22.4%) were malignant and 59 (77.6%) were benign. Of the malignant cases reported, the most common was endometrial carcinoma, and the least common entities encountered were carcinosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Of the benign cases, benign endometrial polyp was the most common endometrial lesion and leiomyoma with and without degeneration was the most common myometrial lesion encountered. Of the 50 cases of leiomyoma encountered, 16 had extensive degenerative changes. The most common degeneration seen in the fibroid was hyaline degeneration, and the least common was xanthogranulomatous degeneration. Conclusions The intraoperative frozen section analysis is a very important diagnostic tool, but we need to be aware of its limitations. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates were found to be high. Thus, frozen section diagnoses can be very valuable in the clinical management of uterine tumors. Careful gross examination, sampling from representative areas, and good communication between the pathologist and surgeon may help in avoiding its limitations.

Patterns of Major Frozen Section Interpretation Error: An In-Depth Analysis From a Complex Academic Surgical Pathology Practice

OBJECTIVES

To establish baseline error rates due to misinterpretation and to identify scenarios in which major errors were most common and potentially preventable.

METHODS

Our database was queried over a 3-year period for major discrepancies due to misinterpretation. These were stratified by histomorphologic setting, service, availability/type of prior material, and years of experience and subspecialization of the interpreting pathologist.

RESULTS

The overall discordance rate between frozen section (FS) and final diagnoses was 2.9% (199/6,910). Seventy-two errors were due to interpretation, of which 34 (47.2%) were major. Major error rates were highest on the gastrointestinal and thoracic services. Of major discrepancies, 82.4% were rendered in subdisciplines outside those of the FS pathologist. Pathologists with fewer than 10 years' experience made more errors than those with more experience (55.9% vs 23.5%, P = .006). Major error rates were greater for cases without previous material compared to those with a prior glass slide (47.1% vs 17.6%, P = .009). Common histomorphologic scenarios in which disagreements were made involved discriminating mesothelial cells from carcinoma (20.6%) and accurately recognizing squamous carcinoma/severe dysplasia (17.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

To improve performance and decrease future misdiagnoses, monitoring discordances should be a continuous component of surgical pathology quality assurance programs.

Concordance of Frozen Section Diagnosis of Epithelial Ovarian Neoplasm and Discussing the Diagnostic Pitfalls: An Institutional Experience

Background  Ovarian neoplasm is the third most common malignancy in Indian women. Intraoperative diagnosis becomes the critical guiding tool for the surgeons to take the decisions on the extent of surgery specially when preserving fertility has to be considered. Aims and Objective  The aim of this study is to evaluate the concordance of intraoperative diagnosis of frozen section (IFS) of ovarian epithelial neoplasm at our institute and to review and discuss the diagnostic pitfalls along with the review of literature. Materials and Methods  Data were archived from departmental record and the detailed clinical data of the patients were retrieved from hospital record system. The discordant cases were reviewed again in an attempt to address the pitfalls. Statistical Analysis  Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of IFS of ovarian neoplasm were analyzed. Results  The overall frozen section diagnosis was concordant with final histopathology in 36 out of 44 cases (81%). The sensitivity of IFS diagnosis was found to be 100% for benign and borderline tumors, whereas 88.9% for malignant epithelial tumors, but the correctness of diagnosis is high only for benign and malignant tumors (high positive predictive value) in compared with borderline ones. The diagnostic pitfalls were identified individually in discordant cases. Conclusion  An accurate interpretation of IFS in ovarian epithelial malignancy can be achieved in benign and malignant cases, but limited in borderline tumors. Awareness of the artifacts and the limitations in mind and the IFS diagnosis can be of great help for proper management of the ovarian neoplasm.

Veliparib with frontline chemotherapy and as maintenance in Japanese women with ovarian cancer: a subanalysis of efficacy, safety, and antiemetic use in the phase 3 VELIA trial

BACKGROUND

The phase 3 VELIA trial evaluated veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and as maintenance in patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

METHODS

Patients with previously untreated stage III-IV high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma were randomized 1:1:1 to control (placebo with carboplatin/paclitaxel and placebo maintenance), veliparib-combination-only (veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and placebo maintenance), or veliparib-throughout (veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and veliparib maintenance). Randomization stratification factors included geographic region (Japan versus North America or rest of the world). Primary end point was investigator-assessed median progression-free survival. Efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics were evaluated in a subgroup of Japanese patients.

RESULTS

Seventy-eight Japanese patients were randomized to control (n = 23), veliparib-combination-only (n = 30), and veliparib-throughout (n = 25) arms. In the Japanese subgroup, median progression-free survival for veliparib-throughout versus control was 27.4 and 19.1 months (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-1.16; p = 0.1 [not significant]). In the veliparib-throughout arm, grade 3/4 leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia rates were higher for Japanese (32%/88%/32%) versus non-Japanese (17%/56%/28%) patients. Grade 3/4 anemia rates were higher in non-Japanese (65%) versus Japanese (48%) patients. Early introduction of olanzapine during veliparib monotherapy maintenance phase may help prevent premature discontinuation of veliparib, via its potent antiemetic efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Median progression-free survival was numerically longer in Japanese patients in the veliparib-throughout versus control arm, consistent with results in the overall study population. Pharmacokinetics were comparable between Japanese and non-Japanese patients. Data for the subgroup of Japanese patients were not powered to show statistical significance but to guide further investigation.

Identification and Treatment of Acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Associated Sequelae

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an ascending polymicrobial infection of the upper female genital tract. The presentation of PID varies from asymptomatic cases to severe sepsis. The diagnosis of PID is often one of exclusion. Primary treatment for PID includes broad-spectrum antibiotics with coverage against gonorrhea, chlamydia, and common anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. If not clinically improved by antibiotics, percutaneous drain placement can promote efficient source control, as is often the case with large tubo-ovarian abscesses. Ultimately, even with treatment, PID can result in long-term morbidity, including chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy.

Are blood parameters assessed before taking frozen sections useful in gynecological oncology?

Background/Aim: Inflammatory processes are often implicated in oncology, and inflammatory markers and indices have been much studied in this context. In gynecological surgery, frozen sections have proven valuable in decision-making. Here we aim to identify laboratory parameters that correlate with frozen section results and thus develop new indices in neoplastic decision-making. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study at Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, we evaluated 139 patients diagnosed with adnexal mass and endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. We divided the patients whose frozen sections were reported as malignant, borderline, or benign into three groups and compared the pre-operative complete blood parameters. Results: The mean age of our patients was 57.3 (11.5) years, and frozen section reports were benign in 33 (23.7%), borderline in 43 (30.9%), and malignant in 63 (45.3%) patients. The mean corpuscular volume and mean platelet volume values ​​were different, and this difference was significant between borderline and malignant groups in post-hoc analyses (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively). While the percentage of lymphocytes was lower in malignant groups, the percentage of neutrophils was higher (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). According to post-hoc analysis, the percentage of neutrophils differs between benign and malignant groups (P = 0.05). The difference in lymphocyte percentage was significant between benign-borderline and benign-malignant groups (P = 0.02, P = 0.05; respectively). The blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was higher in the malignant groups compared to the other two groups (P = 0.02). We used the Multi Linear Regression Analysis method to analyze the factors that play a role in predicting the frozen outcome as malignant. Accordingly, the model with the best performance used lymphocyte percentage, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and Ca-125 parameters (P = 0.03). Conclusion: This study indicates that inflammatory markers may give a clue about the character of the neoplastic mass before oncology surgery. Thus, we can make new contributions to the surgical and clinical approach in the literature by developing new malignancy indices.

Uterine bioimpedance combined with artificial intelligence as a means of cancer detection

This study hypothesised that benign and tumour-bearing uterine tissue could be differentiated by their unique electrical bioimpedance patterns, with the aid of artificial intelligence. Twenty whole, ex-vivo uterine specimens were obtained at the time of hysterectomy. A total of 11 benign and 9 malignant specimens were studied. A uterine bioimpedance probe was designed to measure the tissue between the endometrial and serosal layers of the uterus. The impedance data was then analysed with multiple instance learning and principal component analysis, forms of artificial intelligence. Final pathology results for the specimens included uterine sarcoma, adenocarcinoma, carcinosarcoma, and high-grade serous carcinoma. The analysis correctly identified 78% (7/9) of the malignant specimens and 82% (9/11) of the benign specimens. The overall accuracy of our analysis was 80%. Our results demonstrate distinction between electrical impedance properties of malignant and benign uterine specimens. Bioimpedance and artificial intelligence may have potential implications in risk assessment of patients and may subsequently guide surgical decision-making regarding route of organ removal.

Prediction of lymphovascular space invasion in patients with endometrial cancer

Objective: Predict the presence of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), using uterine factors such as tumor diameter (TD), grade, and depth of myometrial invasion (MMI). Develop a predictive model that could serve as a marker of LVSI in women with endometrial cancer (EC). Methods: Data from 888 patients with endometrioid EC who were treated between January 2009 and December 2018 were reviewed. The patients' data were retrieved from six institutions. We assessed the differences in the clinicopathological characteristics between patients with and without LVSI. We performed logistic regression analysis to determine which clinicopathological characteristics were the risk factors for positive LVSI status and to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for each covariate. Using the risk factors and OR identified through this process, we created a model that could predict LVSI and analyzed it further using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: In multivariate logistic regression analysis, tumor size (P = 0.027), percentage of MMI (P < 0.001), and presence of cervical stromal invasion (P = 0.002) were identified as the risk factors for LVSI. Based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, we developed a simplified LVSI prediction model for clinical use. We defined the "LVSI index" as "TD×%MMI×tumor grade×cervical stromal involvement." The area under curve was 0.839 (95% CI= 0.809-0.869; sensitivity, 74.1%; specificity, 80.5%; negative predictive value, 47.3%; positive predictive value, 8.6%; P < 0.001), and the optimal cut-off value was 200. Conclusion: Using the modified risk index of LVSI, it is possible to predict the presence of LVSI in women with endometrioid endometrial cancer. Our prediction model may be an appropriate tool for integration into the clinical decision-making process when assessed either preoperatively or intraoperatively.

Diagnostic Discordance in Intraoperative Frozen Section Diagnosis of Ovarian Tumors: A Literature Review and Analysis of 871 Cases Treated at a Japanese Cancer Center

BACKGROUND

This study examined the accuracy and pitfalls associated with frozen section diagnosis of primary ovarian tumors and ovarian metastases based on the 2014 World Health Organization classification (WHO) criteria and proposed improvements from a pathologist's perspective.

METHODS

We microscopically reviewed 871 cases of primary ovarian tumor (N = 802) and ovarian metastasis (N = 69) and compared the results of frozen sections with the final diagnosis. Malignant potential concordance (benign, borderline, or malignant) and specific discordant diagnosis rates were analyzed. Finally, we conducted a unique literature review of specific diagnostic errors in the frozen section diagnosis of primary ovarian tumors.

RESULTS

Of 802 primary ovarian tumors, 50 (6.2%) cases showed discordant diagnoses in which mucinous carcinoma (40.5%), low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC; 31.3%), and mucinous borderline tumor (18.4%) were frequently misinterpreted. Of 69 ovarian metastases, all 4 cases of low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN) were misdiagnosed as primary ovarian mucinous tumor. A literature review revealed that mucinous/serous borderline tumor or carcinoma accounted for approximately 70% of 217 reported discordant diagnoses.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, the concordance rate of malignant potential of the tumor was comparable to that previously reported. Even in the 2014 WHO classification, primary ovarian mucinous borderline tumor/carcinoma and LGSC still comprised the majority of discordant cases. Grossing methods that reduce sampling error are required. LAMN was frequently misinterpreted as a benign or borderline ovarian mucinous tumor. To prevent this error, a differential algorithm integrating clinical information and gross findings should be developed.

Role of Frozen Section in Surgical Management of Ovarian Neoplasm

Objective:

Cancers of the adnexae, including ovarian and fallopian tube, constitute the eighth most common cancers among women worldwide. Surgery remains the cornerstone in the management of ovarian cancer. Intraoperative frozen section diagnosis of ovarian tumors is widely used in making this distinction and to decide the course of surgery. Therefore, the accuracy of this technique is very important. The aim was to determine the overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of frozen section for ovarian tumors and to evaluate the role of frozen section in the surgical management of ovarian tumors.

Materials and Methods:

This was a descriptive longitudinal study conducted in the gynecology department of a tertiary care hospital. During the 1 ½ year period of data collection, frozen section was performed among 60 cases of ovarian neoplasms. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of frozen section for benign, borderline and malignant categories of ovarian tumors were studied.

Results:

Out of the 60 patients of ovarian tumors, frozen section diagnosis showed that 43 (71.7%) tumors were benign, 11 (18.3%) were malignant and 6 (10%) were of borderline nature. Final histopathological diagnosis showed that 45 (75%) tumors were benign, 11 (18.3%) were malignant and 4 (6.7%) were borderline. Frozen section for benign tumors had 95% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value (PPV) and 88% negative predictive value (NPV). Malignant tumors had 90% sensitivity, 97% specificity, 90% PPV and 97% NPV with frozen section. However, frozen section had low sensitivity (75%) and PPV (50%) for borderline tumors. Specificity was 94% and NPV 98% in this group of tumors.

Conclusion:

Frozen section was found to be an accurate and useful modality in the intraoperative evaluation of patients with ovarian neoplasm. The results can help to decide the type and extent of surgery.

Diagnostic accuracy of frozen section analysis of borderline ovarian tumors: a meta-analysis with emphasis on misdiagnosis factors

Objective: First, to evaluate the sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of intra-operative frozen section (FS) diagnosis in borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs), and to explore the factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy. Second, to assess the clinical outcomes of misdiagnosed BOT patients.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of all patients diagnosed as BOT through FS or paraffin section (PS) at Qilu Hospital between January 2005 and December 2015. Clinical and pathologic data were extracted. Univariate analysis was performed using standard two-sided statistical tests. We also performed a meta-analysis to further validate the findings.

Results: In our retrospective study, 155 patients were included. Agreement between FS and PS diagnosis was observed in 127/155 (81.9%) patients, yielding a sensitivity of 92.7% and a PPV of 87.6%. Under-diagnosis and over-diagnosis occurred in 22 cases (14.2%) and 6 cases (3.9%), respectively. In our univariate analysis of our retrospective study, tumor size (p=0.048) and surgery approach (p=0.024) were significantly associated with misdiagnosis.

The pooled analysis of 13 studies including 1,577 patients indicated that the accuracy (69.2%), sensitivity (82.5%), and PPV (81.1%) were low; also under-diagnosis (20.2%) and over-diagnosis (10.5%) were frequent. The meta-analysis results showed that mucinous histology (p < 0.0001, OR=2.03 [1.47-2.81]) and unilateral tumors (p=0.001, OR=2.39 [1.41-4.06]) were associated with the misdiagnosis of BOT. In our retrospective study, there was no statistical significance of clinical outcome such as extent of surgery (p=0.838), recurrence (p=0.586), fertility (p=0.560), death (p=0.362) between misdiagnosed and accurately diagnosed BOT patients.

Conclusions: FS analysis of BOTs has low accuracy, sensitivity, and PPV. Under-diagnosis and over-diagnosis are frequent. Meta-analysis results verify that mucinous histology and unilateral tumors are associated with misdiagnosis of FS. Nevertheless, misdiagnosed patients have a good clinical outcome despite the high frequency of misdiagnosis through FS.

An Evaluation of Frozen Section and Lymph Node Dissection Results for Mucinous Ovarian Tumors

OBJECTIVES

Intraoperative frozen section has greater than 90% accuracy for ovarian tumors; however, mucinous histology has been shown to be associated with increased frozen section inaccuracy. Recent data demonstrate that primary ovarian mucinous carcinomas have no lymph node involvement, even when extraovarian disease is present, and therefore may not require lymph node dissection. Our primary objective is to evaluate the accuracy of identifying mucinous histology on frozen section.

METHODS/MATERIALS

A cross-sectional review of mucinous ovarian tumors in surgical patients at one institution from 2006 to 2016 was performed. Cases reporting a mucinous ovarian tumor on frozen section or final pathology were identified. Frozen section results were compared with final diagnosis to calculate concordance rates. Analyses with χ and t tests were performed to identify variables associated with pathology discordance.

RESULTS

A total of 126 mucinous ovarian tumors were identified. Of these, 106 were reported as mucinous on frozen section and 103 (97.2%) were concordant on final pathology. Discordant cases included 2 serous and 1 clear cell tumor. Among the 103 mucinous tumors, classification as malignant, borderline, or benign was concordant in 74 (71.8%) of 103 cases, whereas 22 (21.4%) of 103 were discordant and 7 (6.8%) were deferred to final pathology. Lymph node dissection was performed in 33 cases; the only case with lymph node metastasis was a gastrointestinal mucinous adenocarcinoma. Discordance between frozen section and final pathology was associated with larger tumor size and diagnosis other than benign: discordant cases had a mean tumor size of 21.7 cm compared with 14.4 cm for concordant cases (P < 0.001), and 93.5% of discordant cases were borderline or malignant, compared with 30.5% of concordant cases (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative identification of mucinous histology by frozen section is reliable with a concordance rate to final pathology of 97.2%. No lymph node metastases were present in any malignant or borderline primary ovarian cases.

Intra-Operative Frozen Sections for Ovarian Tumors – A Tertiary Center Experience

Background: Accuracy of diagnosis with intra-operative frozen sections is extremely important in the evaluation of ovarian tumors so that appropriate surgical procedures can be selected. Study design: All patients who with intra-operative frozen sections for ovarian masses in a tertiary center over nine years from June 2008 until April 2017 were reviewed. Frozen section diagnosis and final histopathological reports were compared. Main outcome measures: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of intra-operative frozen section as compared to final histopathological results for ovarian tumors. Results: A total of 92 cases were recruited for final evaluation. The frozen section diagnoses were comparable with the final histopathological reports in 83.7% of cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for benign and malignant ovarian tumors were 95.6%, 85.1%, 86.0% and 95.2% and 69.2%, 100%, 100% and 89.2% respectively. For borderline ovarian tumors, the sensitivity and specificity were 76.2% and 88.7%, respectively; the positive predictive value was 66.7% and the negative predictive value was 92.7%. Conclusion: The accuracy of intra-operative frozen section diagnoses for ovarian tumors is high and this approach remains a reliable option in assessing ovarian masses intra-operatively.

Accuracy of Frozen Section with Histopathological Report in an Institute

INTRODUCTION

Frozen section helps in rapid intra-operative diagnosis. It is commonly used during surgical procedures to detect malignancy so that modifications of surgery can be decided at the time of surgery on the table. Frozen section is also performed for evaluation of surgical margins and detection of lymph node metastasis. In addition it is applied for detection of unknown pathological processes.The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis in comparison to gold standard histopathological diagnosis and to find concordance and discordance rate of frozen section with histopathological report.

METHODS

This was a cross sectional study of 41 frozen section samples done in the department of pathology of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences from September 2014 to August 2015. All frozen section samples with their permanent tissue samples sent for final histopathological evaluation were included in the study.

RESULTS

The overall accuracy of frozen section diagnosis was 97%. The sensitivity was 94%, specificity was 87%, positive predictive value was 90% and negative predictive value was 93%. The concordance rate was 90.2% and the discordance rate was 9.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of frozen section varied in different organ systems and the common cause of discrepancy in our study were the gross sampling error and the interpretational error.

Intra-Operative Frozen Sections: Experience at A Tertiary Care Centre

The present study was conducted to assess error rates with diagnosis using intra-operative frozen sections, and to indicate ways to increase overall performance. Over a period of two years, 227 cases were biopsied intra-operatively. Errors were observed in 14 cases. Four of these were sampling errors, one by a pathologist and three by surgeons. In seven cases incorrect interpretations were made. Epithelial dysplasia was observed on definitive histology in two cases which was not reported intra-operatively. One case was of ectopic thyroid. In cases of oral cancer where sentinel lymph nodes were sampled, immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin was performed to facilitate identification of micrometastasis. Only single case displayed tumor deposits which was not evident morphologically. Resection margins were reported in seventy eight cases. Some 18% (14/50) benefited from revision of margins; overall sensitivity of intra-operative frozen sections for marginal status was 71.4%, with a specificity of 90.3%. Overall sensitivity was 75% and specificity was 97.5%. Careful observation, pathologist experience and knowledge of limitations help in improving the overall diagnostic outcome.

Assessment of the Role of Intraoperative Frozen Section in Guiding Surgical Staging for Endometrial Cancer

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the role of intraoperative frozen section (FS) in guiding decision making for surgical staging of endometrioid endometrial cancer (EC).

Methods

Medical records were collected retrospectively on 112 patients with endometrioid EC, who underwent total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the University of Arizona Medical Center from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2014. Only patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma, grade 1, less than 50% myometrial invasion, and tumor size less than 2 cm determined by intraoperative FS omitted lymphadenectomy; otherwise, surgical staging was performed with lymph node dissection. The FS results were compared with the permanent paraffin sections (PSs) to assess the diagnostic accuracy.

Results

The concordance rate of different variables between FS and PS in EC was 100%, 89.3% (100/112), 97.3% (109/112), and 95.5% (107/112), respectively, with respecting to histological subtype, grade, myometrial invasion, and tumor size. Diagnostic accurate rate of combined risk factors deciding surgical staging at the time of FS was 95.5% (107/112), and the discordance rate of all risk factors considered between FS and PS was 4.5%, resulting 3 cases (2.7%) undertreated and 2 cases (1.8%) overtreated.

Conclusions

Despite nonideal FS evaluation, intraoperative FS diagnosis for EC is highly reliable by providing guidance for the intraoperative decisions of surgical staging at our institution, and such guidelines may be referenced by the institutions with sufficient gynecologic pathology expertise.

Intraoperative frozen section analysis for the diagnosis of early stage ovarian cancer in suspicious pelvic masses

BACKGROUND

Women with suspected early-stage ovarian cancer need surgical staging which involves taking samples from areas within the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal lymph nodes in order to inform further treatment. One potential strategy is to surgically stage all women with suspicious ovarian masses, without any histological information during surgery. This avoids incomplete staging, but puts more women at risk of potential surgical over-treatment.A second strategy is to perform a two-stage procedure to remove the pelvic mass and subject it to paraffin sectioning, which involves formal tissue fixing with formalin and paraffin embedding, prior to ultrathin sectioning and multiple site sampling of the tumour. Surgeons may then base further surgical staging on this histology, reducing the rate of over-treatment, but conferring additional surgical and anaesthetic morbidity.A third strategy is to perform a rapid histological analysis on the ovarian mass during surgery, known as 'frozen section'. Tissues are snap frozen to allow fine tissue sections to be cut and basic histochemical staining to be performed. Surgeons can perform or avoid the full surgical staging procedure depending on the results. However, this is a relatively crude test compared to paraffin sections, which take many hours to perform. With frozen section there is therefore a risk of misdiagnosing malignancy and understaging women subsequently found to have a presumed early-stage malignancy (false negative), or overstaging women without a malignancy (false positive). Therefore it is important to evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of adding frozen section to the clinical decision-making process.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the diagnostic test accuracy of frozen section (index test) to diagnose histopathological ovarian cancer in women with suspicious pelvic masses as verified by paraffin section (reference standard).

SEARCH METHODS

We searched MEDLINE (January 1946 to January 2015), EMBASE (January 1980 to January 2015) and relevant Cochrane registers.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Studies that used frozen section for intraoperative diagnosis of ovarian masses suspicious of malignancy, provided there was sufficient data to construct 2 x 2 tables. We excluded articles without an available English translation.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Authors independently assessed the methodological quality of included studies using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool (QUADAS-2) domains: patient selection, index test, reference standard, flow and timing. Data extraction converted 3 x 3 tables of per patient results presented in articles into 2 x 2 tables, for two index test thresholds.

MAIN RESULTS

All studies were retrospective, and the majority reported consecutive sampling of cases. Sensitivity and specificity results were available from 38 studies involving 11,181 participants (3200 with invasive cancer, 1055 with borderline tumours and 6926 with benign tumours, determined by paraffin section as the reference standard). The median prevalence of malignancy was 29% (interquartile range (IQR) 23% to 36%, range 11% to 63%). We assessed test performance using two thresholds for the frozen section test. Firstly, we used a test threshold for frozen sections, defining positive test results as invasive cancer and negative test results as borderline and benign tumours. The average sensitivity was 90.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 87.6% to 92.0%; with most studies typically reporting range of 71% to 100%), and average specificity was 99.5% (95% CI 99.2% to 99.7%; range 96% to 100%).Similarly, we analysed sensitivity and specificity using a second threshold for frozen section, where both invasive cancer and borderline tumours were considered test positive and benign cases were classified as negative. Average sensitivity was 96.5% (95% CI 95.5% to 97.3%; typical range 83% to 100%), and average specificity was 89.5% (95% CI 86.6% to 91.9%; typical range 58% to 99%).Results were available from the same 38 studies, including the subset of 3953 participants with a frozen section result of either borderline or invasive cancer, based on final diagnosis of malignancy. Studies with small numbers of disease-negative cases (borderline cases) had more variation in estimates of specificity. Average sensitivity was 94.0% (95% CI 92.0% to 95.5%; range 73% to 100%), and average specificity was 95.8% (95% CI 92.4% to 97.8%; typical range 81% to 100%).Our additional analyses showed that, if the frozen section showed a benign or invasive cancer, the final diagnosis would remain the same in, on average, 94% and 99% of cases, respectively.In cases where the frozen section diagnosis was a borderline tumour, on average 21% of the final diagnoses would turn out to be invasive cancer.In three studies, the same pathologist interpreted the index and reference standard tests, potentially causing bias. No studies reported blinding pathologists to index test results when reporting paraffin sections.In heterogeneity analyses, there were no statistically significant differences between studies with pathologists of different levels of expertise.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

In a hypothetical population of 1000 patients (290 with cancer and 80 with a borderline tumour), if a frozen section positive test result for invasive cancer alone was used to diagnose cancer, on average 261 women would have a correct diagnosis of a cancer, and 706 women would be correctly diagnosed without a cancer. However, 4 women would be incorrectly diagnosed with a cancer (false positive), and 29 with a cancer would be missed (false negative).If a frozen section result of either an invasive cancer or a borderline tumour was used as a positive test to diagnose cancer, on average 280 women would be correctly diagnosed with a cancer and 635 would be correctly diagnosed without. However, 75 women would be incorrectly diagnosed with a cancer and 10 women with a cancer would be missed.The largest discordance is within the reporting of frozen section borderline tumours. Investigation into factors leading to discordance within centres and standardisation of criteria for reporting borderline tumours may help improve accuracy. Some centres may choose to perform surgical staging in women with frozen section diagnosis of a borderline ovarian tumour to reduce the number of false positives. In their interpretation of this review, readers should evaluate results from studies most typical of their population of patients.

Accuracy of intraoperative frozen section in the evaluation of patients with adnexal mass: retrospective analysis of 748 cases with multivariate regression analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section in the evaluation of patients with adnexal mass and to define the clinicopathological factors associated with misdiagnosis during frozen section evaluation.

METHODS

The clinicopathological data of patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy for adnexal mass were reviewed. Results of the intraoperative frozen section and permanent histology reports were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to reveal factors associated with misdiagnosis.

RESULTS

The study group consisted of 748 patients. Of these patients, 509 (68.0%) had benign, 43 (5.7%) had borderline, 196 (26.2%) had malignant histological diagnosis at permanent section. The overall agreement between intraoperative frozen section and permanent pathology was 96.8%. Twenty four out of 745 cases (3.8%) were misdiagnosed by frozen section. Univariate analysis showed that borderline histology (p < 0.0001) and tumor size larger than 10 cm (p = 0.012) were associated with misdiagnosis. According to multivariate analysis, borderline histology (OR: 22.6, p < 0.0001) was the only independent predictor for misdiagnosis during frozen examination.

CONCLUSION

The frozen section evaluation of the adnexal mass is highly accurate. However, tumor size greater than 10 cm and borderline histology are the factors that adversely influence the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section. Clinicians must be aware of these pitfalls during intraoperative decision making following frozen section report.

Accuracy of Frozen-Section Diagnosis of Ovarian Mucinous Tumors

Objective

The objective of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative frozen sections of ovarian mucinous tumors and to identify the features associated with an inaccurate diagnosis.

Methods

Cases of ovarian mucinous tumors (benign, low malignant potential [LMP] or borderline, primary malignant, and metastatic) diagnosed by frozen section or final histology were recruited. Frozen-section diagnoses were compared with the final histologic diagnoses. Possible variables associated with diagnostic discrepancy were analyzed.

Results

A comparison of the diagnoses was done in 195 cases (102 benign, 61 LMP, 18 primary malignant, and 14 metastatic). Diagnostic agreement was observed in 164 cases (84.1%) and discrepancy in 31 cases (15.9%). The sensitivity of frozen-section diagnosis was low in LMP (67.2%) and malignant tumors (55.6%). The specificity was the lowest in the benign category (78.5%). The positive predictive values of all categories were less than 90% (range, 83.3%–85.7%). Diagnostic discrepancy was associated with tumor size of greater than 13 cm (P = 0.019) and the number of frozen sections of 4 or more (P = 0.035). However, in a multivariate analysis, there was no independent predictor of diagnostic discrepancy. The number of frozen sections 4 or more was strongly associated with tumor size of greater than 13 cm (P = 0.004).

Conclusions

The sensitivity of frozen-section diagnosis of LMP and malignant mucinous tumors was low. The inaccuracy of a frozen-section diagnosis of ovarian mucinous tumors may be related to a tumor size of greater than 13 cm. Increasing the number of intraoperative samples over 3 sections per case may not effectively increase the accuracy of frozen-section diagnosis in mucinous tumors.

Accuracy of intraoperative frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors

BACKGROUND

Ovarian neoplasms are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in women. The surgical management of ovarian neoplasms depends on their correct categorisation as benign, borderline and malignant.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical benefits of intraoperative frozen section analysis into the surgical management policy of women referred with an adnexal mass suspicious of ovarian cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 106 ovarian frozen section results was examined to determine the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of frozen section were studied.

RESULTS

The overall accuracy to determine the status of malignancy was 93.3%. Sensitivity of the test was highest in the benign groups at 97.4% and lowest in the borderline groups at 25%. The accuracy of frozen section was 80% in serous tumours and 60% in mucinous. There were two (2.5%) false positive, three (10.7%) false negative and two overestimated diagnosis in frozen section examination. Eight malignancies (30.7%) were of metastatic origin, all of which (100%), were correctly identified on frozen section.

CONCLUSION

Frozen section appears to be an accurate technique for the histopathological diagnosis of ovarian tumours. Some limitations were observed among borderline and mucinous tumours. This emphasises the great value of frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian tumours.

Intraoperative Consultation in Gynecologic Pathology: A 6-Year Audit at a Tertiary Care Medical Center

Background:

Most of the literature on intraoperative consultation (IOC) in gynecologic pathology focuses on the accuracy of this technique. This study addresses a wide range of quality assurance issues regarding this practice through a comprehensive audit of our experience.

Design:

The anatomic pathology database was searched between 1999 and 2005 for all gynecologic cases who received IOCs. Seven hundred thirty-one IOCs rendered were identified and analyzed. The accuracy of IOC by gynecologic pathologists was comparable to that of surgical pathologists.

Results:

Patient care was potentially negatively impacted in 14 IOCs; 2 were conducted by the former and 12 by the latter group. Management of ovarian tumors with borderline features significantly improved when the terminology of "at least borderline" was used. Intraoperative consultation by gross inspection only had a low accuracy of 94.7%. Intraoperative consultation was able to definitively and correctly answer the question of whether an ovarian tumor was primary or metastatic in only 35% of patients. As a result of the IOC, the surgical procedure proceeded as originally intended in 96% of patients, was modified in 2%, and was terminated in 2%.

Conclusions:

This audit identifies certain procedural and communication strategies that can increase accuracy. It also highlights the situations where IOC could be less reliable. Patient's safety can increase by improving the communication between the surgeons and the consultant pathologist, consulting with gynecologic pathologists in oncology cases whenever feasible, and using the term of "at least borderline" rather than "borderline."

The role of frozen section evaluation in the diagnosis of adnexal mass

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis in patients who were subjected to the exploratory laparotomy for pelvic mass. Overall, 207 patients were included in this study and the mean age of the patients was 50.9 ± 14.9 years (range, 18–84 years). Of these patients, 98 (47%) had benign, 16 (8%) had borderline, and 93 (45%) had malignant histologies at permanent section. The diagnosis at frozen section was deferred for three patients (1.4%) and these patients were excluded from the further analyses. The overall discordance rate was 5.3%. To calculate the sensitivity and specificity values, 2 × 2 contingency tables were constructed in two ways. In the first calculation, borderline histology was considered malignant, and the sensitivity and specificity rates were 97% and 92%, respectively. In the second analysis, it was accepted as benign, and these values were 100% and 98%, respectively. To determine the possible factors related with discordant diagnoses, age, menopausal status, tumoral size, laterality of tumors, and histologic diagnoses were analyzed. Significant association was noted for size and borderline and mucinous histologies. In patients with borderline histology, the discordance rate was 40%. This value for the remaining patients was 3.2% (P< 0.001). The rate of misdiagnosis was 17.4% for mucinous tumors, whereas it was 4.8% for the remaining epithelial tumors (P= 0.03). Frozen section evaluation revealed high sensitivity and specificity values in this study. To increase the accuracy of diagnosis, further diagnostic markers are needed especially for patients with large lesions, borderline tumors, and mucinous histologies.

"True" versus "apparent" stage I epithelial ovarian cancer: value of frozen section analysis

The aim of this prospective study was to determine the clinical benefits of introducing peroperative frozen section analysis into the surgical management policy of women referred with an adnexal mass suspicious of ovarian cancer. All women surgically managed at the Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre, Gateshead, UK, between July 1, 2002, and June 30, 2003, where frozen section analysis had been utilized were included for analysis. Correlation was determined between cases surgically staged following the frozen section result and the clinical need for staging based on the pathologic diagnosis from the paraffin section. During the 12-month period, 130 women underwent frozen section analysis. Paraffin section diagnoses included 74 benign tumors, 11 borderline tumors, 34 primary epithelial cancers, 5 nonepithelial cancers, and 6 metastatic tumors. All primary epithelial ovarian cancers were correctly identified as requiring a staging procedure based on the frozen section result. Four of seventy-four cases reported as benign on frozen section analysis were underdiagnosed; two were later diagnosed on paraffin section as borderline tumors and a further two as malignant (one low-grade adenosarcoma and one primary peritoneal cancer). Of the 130 cases, 55 (42.3%) underwent a staging procedure based on the frozen section result. The value of frozen section analysis in determining the need for the performance of a staging procedure had the following statistical test results: sensitivity = 92%, specificity = 88%, positive predictive value = 82%, and negative predictive value = 95%. Excluding the borderline tumors, metastatic tumors, and primary peritoneal tumor where staging did not impact subsequent clinical management, the statistical test results for frozen section analysis in determining the need for a staging procedure were sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 95%, positive predictive value = 90%, and negative predictive value = 99%. The clinical benefits of introducing frozen section analysis in the surgical staging policy of women with an adnexal mass suspicious of ovarian malignancy included avoidance of a surgical staging procedure in 95% of cases identified on paraffin section analysis to be benign. This benefit was without compromising the avoidance of chemotherapy in true stage I epithelial ovarian cancer cases. Additional benefits included the confirmation of malignancy where extraovarian lesions were suggestive but not indicative of malignant disease, and the intraoperative identification of metastatic disease of nonovarian origin.

Accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of liver mass lesions

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative frozen sections diagnosis of liver lesions thought to be malignant tumours.

METHODS

285 frozen sections of liver from 173 patients were reviewed. The examinations were done between 1998 and 2004.

RESULTS

Final histological diagnosis was divided into positive (32%) and negative (68%) for malignancy. In four cases (2%), diagnosis was deferred to paraffin section. There was one false positive and two false negative diagnoses. Sensitivity was 96.9% and specificity was 99.1%, and the overall accuracy to determine the lesions was 95%. The cases were further analysed to ascertain the nature of diagnostic difficulties, which comprised pathological misinterpretation, sampling error, and technical imperfections. Biliary hamartoma was the most common entity that was confused with malignant tumours in frozen sections.

CONCLUSIONS

The data are in accordance with those of similar studies in other sites, and confirm that the frozen section is an accurate and reliable method for intraoperative diagnosis of suspected liver lesions.

Accuracy of frozen section in distinguishing primary ovarian neoplasia from tumors metastatic to the ovary

Frozen section is widely used in the intra-operative assessment of patients with ovarian tumors. The diagnosis of malignancy is usually straightforward but in some cases it may be difficult to distinguish whether tumors are of ovarian origin or represent matastases from other sites. Recently, Seidman and colleagues presented a simple algorithm based on tumor size and unilateral versus bilateral involvement to aid in intra-operative assessment of ovarian mucinous neoplasms. In this study we have reviewed the accuracy of frozen section in distinguishing primary ovarian malignancies from tumors metastatic to the ovaries encountered in two hospitals over a 5-year period. The algorithm was also applied to our cases retrospectively irrespective of histological type. Nine hundred fourteen ovarian frozen sections were performed in the study period including 266 cases with a final diagnosis of malignancy. Thirty-seven malignancies (13.9%) were of metastatic origin (exclusing one lymphoma), 21 of which (58.8%) were correctly identified on frozen section. In 5 additional cases metastatic origin was included in the differential diagnosis while a primary ovarian tumor was favored un 11 cases (29.7%). Application of the algorithm to the metastatic tumors led to correct classification in 26/33 (78.8%) assessable cases. Conversely, 195/228 primary ovarian malignancies were correctly identified intra-operatively but the possibility of extra-ovarian malignancy was considered or not excluded in 33 cases (14.5%). Application of the algorithm to the latter problematic primary ovarian tumors overall was not helpful in distinguishing primary or metastatic origin. However if only low-grade primary adenocarcinomas were considered then 10/12 assessable cases were correctly assigned. In conclusion frozen section is only moderately successful in distinguishing primary ovarian malignancies fron tumors metastatic to the ovaries. The simple algorithm proposed by Seidman and colleagues for assessment of ovarian mucinous tumors is helpful and can be applied to low-grade adenocarcinomas of other histological types.

Intraoperative Consultation in Gynecologic Pathology

Context.—Gynecologic specimens are commonly submitted for intraoperative consultation, primarily to confirm the presence and histologic type of malignancy, as well as to determine the adequacy of resection by examining the surgical margins.

Objective.—To review and discuss the application, indications, contraindications, and limitations of intraoperative consultation regarding gynecologic specimens, as well as the causes of false-positive or false-negative frozen section results.

Data Sources.—Review of the pertinent literature and the authors' expertise and experience.

Conclusions.—In most instances, intraoperative consultation regarding gynecologic specimens accurately determines the type of malignancy, the status of the resection margins or the lymph nodes, and the extent and depth of involvement by a tumor. Although the pathologist and the surgeon must be aware of the limitations, the use of intraoperative consultation represents a highly sensitive and specific technique that can play a critical role in the management of gynecologic disease.

The impact of size of the adnexal mass on the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

We recently showed that frozen section diagnosis has an almost perfect specificity for the diagnosis of malignancy in an adnexal mass, whereas the sensitivity was, though good, not perfect. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis is affected by the size of the adnexal masses.

METHODS

We included women that underwent frozen section diagnosis for adnexal mass surgery. For each patient we recorded serum CA125 level, menopausal status, tumour size, and histologic classification both at frozen section diagnosis and at definite histological examination. We calculated sensitivity and specificity of frozen section diagnoses, both in tumours below and above 10 cm diameter.

RESULTS

We included 257 patients, of whom 142 had a benign tumour, 28 had a borderline tumour and 87 had a malignant tumour at definitive histological assessment. In case frozen section diagnosis showed malignancy, this was always confirmed at final histological assessment. In women with a tumour <10 cm, there was only 1 false negative diagnosis in 50 women with a benign frozen section diagnosis, whereas there were 11 false negative diagnoses in 97 women in women with a tumour > or = 10 cm. The corresponding likelihood ratios of a benign diagnosis for presence of malignancy were .15 for tumours > or = 10 cm and 0.03 for tumours <10 cm, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of frozen section diagnosis is dependent on tumour size. In adnexal masses > or = 10 cm, a benign result of the frozen section diagnosis is less reliable than in women with a tumour <10 in cm.

Frozen section: Its role in gynaecological oncology

The use of frozen section has greatly impacted on the care of the gynaecological oncology patient. Frozen section allows intraoperative evaluation to distinguish benign from malignant tumors in order to tailor the extent of surgery necessary. Frozen section diagnosis in gynaecological oncology is sufficiently sensitive and specific for clinical use. Generally, the false negative rate is low and the false positive rate is negligible. Deferred diagnoses or incompatible frozen section diagnosis is usually due to technical limitations especially for the mucinous ovarian tumors. This review summarises the available literature on the accuracy, limitations and role of frozen section for individual gynaecological tumors.

The accuracy of frozen section (intraoperative consultation) in the diagnosis of ovarian masses

OBJECTIVE

Frozen section is an important and helpful adjunct in the intraoperative diagnosis of ovarian tumors. This retrospective study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis of ovarian masses and the reasons of discordance.

METHODS

From January 1995 to December 2003, 1494 ovarian specimens were received for histopathological evaluation, and 617 of them were submitted for frozen section examination. RESULTS.: The final paraffin section diagnoses of these 617 cases were a nonneoplastic lesion in 18.3% of the cases, benign tumor in 56.1%, borderline tumor in 6.2%, and malignant tumor in 19.4%. The overall accuracy was 97%. Twenty-one cases were incorrectly diagnosed by frozen section. All of them were false negatives. There were no deferred cases. The majority of the cases of disagreement were mucinous and borderline tumors. The sensitivity for benign, borderline, and malignant tumors were 100%, 87%, and 87%, respectively. The specificity for benign tumors was 97%; for borderline tumors 98%; and for malignant tumors 100%.

CONCLUSION

Our data confirm that frozen section diagnosis is a reliable method for the surgical management of patients with an ovarian mass. However, diagnostic problems can occur in mucinous and borderline tumors during frozen section examination. The clinicians and pathologists must be aware of the pitfalls of this method; therefore, a good communication established between them is necessary to obtain more accurate results and to minimize the number of deferred cases.

Diagnostic accuracy of frozen section diagnosis of the adnexal mass: a metaanalysis

BACKGROUND

Frozen section diagnosis is a diagnostic procedure for the assessment of the adnexal mass during surgery. The purpose of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the literature on the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis in the assessment of the adnexal mass.

METHODS

We performed a computerized Medline and EMBASE search to identify all registered articles published between January 1966 and June 2003, comparing frozen section diagnosis of ovarian pathology to the final histopathological diagnosis. For each study, we calculated the prevalence of malignant and borderline tumors, and the sensitivity and specificity of the frozen section diagnosis using the final histopathological diagnosis as reference. We performed the calculations in two ways. In the first analysis, tumors that were found to be borderline were considered as malignant in the 2 x 2 table. In the second analysis, tumors that were found to be borderline were considered as benign in the 2 x 2 table.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included for analysis. When the diagnosis borderline was classified as malignant, the sensitivity of frozen section diagnosis varied between 65% and 97%, and the specificity between 97% and 100%. When the diagnosis borderline was considered to be benign, the sensitivity varied between 71% and 100%, for a specificity varying between 98.3% and 100%.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of frozen section diagnosis for the assessment of the ovarian mass is good, with acceptable sensitivities for almost perfect specificities. Future studies on patient preferences for the different outcomes as well as economic analysis are needed for definite position of this diagnostic technique.

Accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of malignant ovarian tumor

AIM

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of frozen section for histopathologic diagnosis of ovarian tumors.

METHODS

A total of 147 surgically removed ovarian tumors were studied. Each ovarian tumor sample was evaluated for histopathologic diagnosis using both frozen and paraffin sections. Interpretation was separate and blinded between each technique. Accuracy, diagnostic values and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by comparing the results from both techniques, using paraffin section as a gold standard.

RESULTS

Overall accuracy of frozen section was 89.8% (95% CI 83.4-94.0). Sensitivity was 90.4% (95% CI 78.2-96.4) for malignant, 33.3% (95% CI 6.0-75.9) for borderline, and 93.3% (95% CI 85.4-97.2) for benign tumors. The predictive value was 100% (95% CI 90.6-100) for malignant, 20% (95% CI 3.5-55.8) for borderline, and 92.2% (95% CI 84.1-96.5) for benign tumors. Most false negatives occurred in mucinous and borderline tumors. No benign tumor was misdiagnosed as malignant by frozen section. Accuracy and negative predictive value were significantly lower in epithelial rather than germ and other cell types. Excellent agreement with regard to histologic cell type was observed (Kappa 0.81).

CONCLUSION

Frozen section appears to be an accurate technique for the histopathologic diagnosis of ovarian tumors. Some limitations were observed among borderline and mucinous tumors; this emphasizes the great value of frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors.

Accuracy of frozen section in diagnosis of ovarian mass

To determine the accuracy of frozen section according to the status of malignancy and the histologic cell type, we reviewed the frozen and permanent pathologic reports of 212 resected ovarian masses in our hospital. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value of frozen section were studied. The overall accuracy to determine the status of malignancy was 90.9%. Sensitivity of the test was highest in the benign groups at 99.1% and lowest in the borderline groups at 50%. All inaccurate diagnoses were in the common epithelial groups. Problems in diagnosis of mucinous tumors and borderline tumors were striking. The accuracy of the test for histologic diagnosis was 91.9%. Most cases of the incorrect diagnosis (81.3%) were common epithelial tumors. In conclusion, the accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian mass was generally high with a few exceptions in large tumors, mucinous, or borderline tumors that yielded lower accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value. We encourage both the surgeons and the pathologists to be cautious of these limitations. Additional number of frozen section taken for a mass larger than 10 cm may minimize the error in large tumors to some extent.

Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer: 8-year experience of a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate, in a series of 50 consecutive patients, the feasibility, morbidity, and survival outcome of the laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

METHODS

Fifty patients with invasive cervical cancer were operated on by laparoscopic radical hysterectomy between 1993 and 2001 at two cancer centers. Patients in a good general condition with a cervical carcinoma less than 4 cm and a body mass index up to 29 were eligible. Thirty-one patients had prior brachytherapy.

RESULTS

The median overall operative time was 258 min. The mean number of harvested pelvic external iliac nodes was 13.22 per patient. The median postoperative hospital stay was 7.5 days. Two patients had major urinary complications; one had a bladder fistula and one a ureteral stenosis. The median follow-up was 44 months. The overall 5-year survival rate of FIGO stage Ia2 and Ib1 patients was 96%.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that radical hysterectomy can be performed by laparoscopy in stage IB1 or less advanced node negative cervical cancer patients without compromising survival. Prior brachytherapy did not affect the feasibility of this radical procedure.

Accuracy of frozen section examination of testicular tumors of uncertain origin

INTRODUCTION

A total of 80-90% of all testicular masses are malignant germ cell tumors. Benign testicular lesions are recognized in approximately 10-20% enabling a testis-preserving surgery on the findings of frozen section examination (FSE). However, there are only sparse information with regard to the reliability of FSE in testicular tumors of uncertain dignity. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed our experience concerning the reliability of FSE in primary testicular tumors by comparing each FSE result to the final diagnosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 1974 to 2000, 354 patients were operated on a testicular tumor. During inguinal exploration and after clamping of the spermatic cord and appropriate dressing, a representative biopsy of the tumor was taken and sent for FSE. In case of malignancy radical orchiectomy was performed, in case of benign findings or in case of a germ cell tumor in a solitary testicle, the tumor was enucleated. Slides of FSE and the permanent sections were reviewed and compared with regard to the histological diagnosis and presence/absence of malignancy.

RESULTS

Based on FSE, 317 tumors (89.5%) were found to be malignant ((100 seminomas (38.5%), 217 nonseminomas (61.5%)) and 37 tumors (10.5%) were benign (17 epidermoid cysts, 14 Leydig cell tumors, two cystadenomas, two simple cysts, two hemangiomas). Comparing FSE and definitive diagnosis, FSE correctly identified all malignant and benign lesions. There was a failure rate of 10 and 8% to differentiate seminomatous from nonseminomatous tumors and vice versa based on FSE, which, however, was irrelevant for the surgical management. Complications of the enucleations (n = 37) were: testicular atrophy in three cases, testicular hematoma in three cases, orchitis/epididymitis in one case. Not a single case disclosed a local relapse after a mean follow-up of 105 (12-240) months.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative FSE correctly identified all malignant and benign testicular masses including radical orchiectomy or organ-preserving surgery. Surgical management of testicular tumors based on FSE results is clinically practicable.