Datasets
The dataset has been developed for the reporting of lymph node resections from patients with primary carcinomas and mucosal melanomas of the head and neck. This excludes nodal resections for lymphoma and sarcomas. It is not intended for use in reporting lymph node core biopsy or fine needle aspirations. Carcinomas covered by the dataset include sinonasal tract, nasopharnx, oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx and trachea, salivary glands (major and minor), and ear and temporal bone. Neuroendocrine tumours (grade 1, 2 and 3) and neuroendocrine carcinomas are also included in this dataset, along with musical melanoma and cutaneous carcinomas (except Merkel cell carcinoma). For resections of recurrent disease, the reporting guide may be used pragmatically although some data elements may be not applicable nor assessable.
This dataset is to be used in conjunction with other ICCR datasets in the Head and Neck Series. Lymph node excisional biopsies or neck dissections may precede, accompany, or follow the biopsy or resection of a primary tumour. Concurrent reporting of the lymph node and primary tumour dataset elements – ideally in the same report – is preferable, as it provides clinicians with the most comprehensive information for tumour stage categorisation.
These datasets were developed with the kind support of the North American Society of Head and Neck Pathology (NASHNP), American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP), International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologists (IAOP), and British Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (BSOMP).
2nd edition – July 2024
Updated following the publication of the 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Head and Neck Tumours, 5th edition.
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
• Added a new element ‘Clinical information’.
• Added a new element ‘Block identification key’.
• Updated the ‘Histological tumour type’ element.
• Updated the ‘Lymph node status’ element.
• Added a new element ‘Sentinel lymph node biopsy’.
• Updated the ‘Ancillary studies’ element.
• Other minor updates to elements were also included.
• Revised all notes, including incorporation of the most recent 2024 WHO Classification.
1st edition – September 2018
The 2nd edition of the dataset for Nodal excisions and neck dissection specimens for head and neck tumours was developed by the following international team:
Authors of the previous edition of this dataset are available here.
