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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Coloproctology 2021; 41(04): 430-437
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1730016
Review Article

Morphological Characteristics, Classifications and Difficulties in the Use of Diagnostic Criteria for Serrated Lesions of the Large Intestine

Cesar de Souza Bastos Junior 
1   Departamento de Anatomia Patológica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
,
Vera Lucia Nunes Pannain 
1   Departamento de Anatomia Patológica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
,
Adriana Caroli-Bottino 
1   Departamento de Anatomia Patológica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Abstract

Introduction Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal neoplasm in the world, accounting for 15% of cancer-related deaths. This condition is related to different molecular pathways, among them the recently described serrated pathway, whose characteristic entities, serrated lesions, have undergone important changes in their names and diagnostic criteria in the past thirty years. The multiplicity of denominations and criteria over the last years may be responsible for the low interobserver concordance (IOC) described in the literature.

Objectives The present study aims to describe the evolution in classification of serrated lesions, based on the last three publications of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the reproducibility of these criteria by pathologists, based on the evaluation of the IOC.

Methods A search was conducted in the PubMed, ResearchGate and Portal Capes databases, with the following terms: sessile serrated lesion; serrated lesions; serrated adenoma; interobserver concordance; and reproducibility. Articles published since 1990 were researched.

Results and Discussion The classification of serrated lesions in the past thirty years showed different denominations and diagnostic criteria. The reproducibility and IOC of these criteria in the literature, based on the kappa coefficient, varied in most studies, from very poor to moderate.

Conclusions Interobserver concordance and the reproducibility of microscopic criteria may represent a limitation for the diagnosis and appropriate management of these lesions. It is necessary to investigate diagnostic tools to improve the performance of the pathologist's evaluation, for better concordance, and, consequently, adequate diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords

Sessile serrated lesion - serrated lesions - serrated adenoma - interobserver concordance - reproducibility


Publication History

Received: 08 August 2020

Accepted: 15 January 2021

Article published online:
19 July 2021

© 2021. Sociedade Brasileira de Coloproctologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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