The impact of histological review on clinical management of testicular cancer.

Accurate histological diagnosis and staging are critically important in determining the optimal management of patients with testicular cancer. We have assessed the importance of histological review of "outside" pathology reports from 87 patients referred to the Urological Cancer Research Unit. In 28 patients (32%), the reviewed pathology report differed from the outside report. In 10 of these patients (11%), the pathology review resulted in a change of treatment or prognosis from that which would have obtained in the absence of such histological review. Pathology review at a major cancer centre with a subspecialist interest in tumour pathology and a large experience in the management of germ cell malignancy is an essential first step in the treatment of testicular cancer.