Is a routine histopathological examination justified for all tumours resected from the upper extremity?

Most lesions of the upper extremity are common and benign, and the need for a routine pathology evaluation of these specimens has often been questioned. This study aimed to evaluate the concordance of the initial clinical and final histological diagnoses of tumours which, based on clinical presentation and intraoperative findings, are most likely benign or malignant, and to answer the question whether or not a routine histopathological examination is justified for all tumours in the upper extremity.

Material and methods: We analysed the results of histopathological examinations of benign tumours resected in 346 patients and malignant tumours resected in 6 patients.

Results: Our analysis showed a 100% concordance between the initial (clinical) diagnoses of the tumours as benign or malignant and their final histopathological diagnoses. Only in 12 cases (3.5%) of initially benign tumours did the clinical presentation and/or intraoperative findings raise doubts.

Conclusions: The results of this study show that a routine histological evaluation of all tumours resected from the upper extremity is not justified and may be confined to selected cases in which clinical presentation and/or intraoperative findings raise doubts.