The European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology was funded by the EU for a project on recording providing education, and ameliorating the consequences of treatment (REACT). An European audit was carried out as part of which to assess the usefulness of current follow-up practices.

Non-operative diagnosis has become the norm in breast disease assessment and, until relatively recently, fine needle aspiration cytology has been the sampling method of choice. The introduction of automated core biopsy guns in the mid 1990s led to the additional introduction of core biopsy in assessment units. This paper presents a summary of the guidance on handling and routine reporting of breast needle core biopsy specimens in the context of breast disease multidisciplinary assessment. This guidance has been produced by the UK National Coordinating Committee for Breast Screening Pathology and is endorsed by the European Commission working group on breast screening pathology.

By means of a questionnaire sent to Portuguese hospitals which diagnose and treat most female patients with breast cancer, it was intended to assess the situation regarding the treatment of carcinoma in situ and early breast cancer (T1 or T2, N0 or N1), as well as their evolution between 1985 and 2000. The hospital participation rate was 65% and a sample of 865 patients was collected, distributed by the years 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000. It was observed that, in terms of surgery, there was an increase in conservative surgery, which was over 40% in 2000, as well as an increase in the average of excised axillary lymph nodes. Progress in the surgical approach was similar both in cancer centres and in large and university hospitals, when compared with the other surveyed hospitals. Also, no differences between these two hospital groups in disease-free survival and overall survival were found. Postoperative radiotherapy was employed in more than 90% of the patients submitted to conservative surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy was used in 39% of all the patients, while tamoxifen as adjuvant treatment was used in 58% of the patients.

The goal of the Guideline "Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Germany" is to assist physicians, healthy women, and patients in the decision-making process in favour of appropriate health care regarding early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. The principle of early detection of breast cancer embraces the detection of non-invasive stages of breast cancer (UICC stage 0, carcinoma in situ), reducing the frequency of invasive breast cancer development, as well as the identification of breast cancer at an early stage (UICC stage I) having a chance of cure of more than 90%, as shown by a large number of trials. The Guideline summarized in the following paper is a precondition to establishing a nation-wide, comprehensive, quality-assurance program for the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. The resulting consequence should be a timely mortality reduction of breast cancer. The cure of early stage disease will additionally be achieved by less intensive treatment methods while largely maintaining the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Implementing the Guideline offers the possibility of a significant improvement in women's health care.

Gestational trophoblastic disease comprises a spectrum of interrelated conditions originating from the placenta. Other terms often used to refer to these conditions include gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and gestational trophoblastic tumor. Histologically distinct disease entities encompassed by this general terminology include complete and partial hydatidiform moles, invasive moles, gestational choriocarcinomas, and placental site trophoblastic tumors. Before the advent of sensitive assays for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and efficacious chemotherapy, the morbidity and mortality from gestational trophoblastic disease were substantial. At present, with sensitive quantitative assays for beta-hCG and current approaches to chemotherapy, most women with malignant gestational trophoblastic disease can be cured and their reproductive function preserved. The purpose of this document is to address current evidence regarding the diagnosis, staging, and management of gestational trophoblastic disease.

To develop a clinical practice guideline for the management of men with metastatic, recurrent, or progressive carcinoma of the prostate. The focus of this document is on the use, combinations, and timing of various forms of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for the palliation of men with androgen-sensitive disease.

Further to a thorough analysis of the management of the surgical specimen for gastric carcinomas, guidelines were defined following several recommendations including informative gross and microscopic descriptions associated to a final correct staging of the tumour, according to the TNM classification and must at least include tumour penetration, nodal or distant metastases. The Belgian working party for GI cancer debate on these data and present a check-list that would help pathologists.

To review the literature on techniques used in high-dose radiotherapy of lung cancer in order to develop recommendations for clinical practice and for use in research protocols.

This paper is the result of a meeting of the European Association of Pathologists, Uropathology Division in Florence 2003. The aims of this meeting were to establish: guidelines for specimen handling by urologists and minimum requirements for data accompanying testicular specimens submitted to pathologists; a consensus on techniques for processing specimens by pathologists; the essential information required from pathology reports; areas where our standard practice is traditional rather than evidence based and where further studies are required. The general aims of histopathology are to give or confirm a diagnosis; assess established prognostic markers; identify changes associated with treatment; provide information for audit (i.e. imaging, urology and pathology) and maintain a permanent record (slides/blocks).

Solid-organ transplant recipients have a high incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and often develop multiple and aggressive tumors. There are few published studies or reviews, which provide guidance to the clinician in the treatment of these patients.