Objective: Identification of high-risk cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is crucial for treatment planning. This study evaluates adherence to current guidelines in biopsy request forms and pathology reports for cSCC cases. Material and Methods: This retrospective study reviewed cSCC pathology reports and biopsy requisition forms collected over a 12-year (2012-2023) period at a tertiary care center. Results: A total of 314 cSCC lesions were analyzed in 181 males and 133 females, with a mean age of 77.1±11.0 years. Biopsy request forms documented patient age and gender in all cases and type of biopsy (99.4%) and lesion location (99.7%) in nearly all cases. However, clinical diameter of the lesion (7.0%), prior treatment status (2.2%), and immunosuppression status (0.96%) were rarely recorded, while clinical or radiologic nerve invasion and history of radiotherapy at the site were never documented. Immunosuppression status was documented significantly more often in dermatologists' forms than in those from other specialties (p=0.036). In pathology reports, differentiation degree was recorded in 42.4% of cases, histologic subtype in 9.2%, and depth of invasion in 40.4%. Perineural and lymphovascular invasion were documented in 18.8% and 19.1%, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed in 65.1% of cases. Among excised specimens (n=260), lateral and deep margin status was documented in 82.7% and 83.5% of cases, respectively. Conclusion: Implementing standardized reporting systems, regular audits, and targeted training for clinicians and pathologists can improve documentation, enhance data quality, and support better diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.
Koç et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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