Boylan K, Kanth P, Delker D, Hazel MW, Boucher KM, Affolter K, Clayton F, Evason K, Jedrzkiewicz J, Pletneva M, Samowitz W, Swanson E, Bronner MP. Three Pathologic Criteria for Reproducible Diagnosis of Colonic Sessile Serrated Lesion Versus Hyperplastic Polyp.
Hum Pathol 2023;
137:25-35. [PMID:
37044202 DOI:
10.1016/j.humpath.2023.04.002]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Colonic sessile serrated lesions are thought to predispose to ∼30% of colonic adenocarcinomas. This increased risk, compared to benign hyperplastic polyps, makes their distinction vitally important. However, no gold standard exists to differentiate them, and wide observer variability is reported.
METHODS
To better distinguish these polyps, we investigated 94 serrated polyps (53 sessile serrated lesions and 41 hyperplastic polyps), using an easy-to-apply pathologic scoring system that combines, for the first time, three established distinguishing features: polyp morphology, location, and size. As an additional novel approach, polyp size was assessed by serrated biopsy number compared to endoscopic size. RNA expression profiling served as an additional biomarker. The considerable morphologic overlap across serrated polyps was quantitated for the first time. Interobserver variability was assessed by eight expert gastrointestinal pathologists.
RESULTS
By ROC analysis, polyp size by biopsy number performed best, followed by polyp location and morphology (areas under the curves [AUC] 85.9%, 81.2%, 65.9%, respectively). Optimal discrimination combined all three features (AUC 92.9%). For polyp size, biopsy number proved superior to endoscopic size (AUC 85.9% versus 55.2%, p=0.001). Interobserver variability analysis yielded the highest reported Fleiss and Kappa statistics (0.879) and percent agreement (96.8%), showing great promise toward improved diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS
The proposed three-criteria pathologic system, combining size by biopsy number, location, and morphology, yields an improved, easy to use, and highly reproducible diagnostic approach for differentiating sessile serrated lesions and hyperplastic polyps.
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