Table 6
Comparison of criteria reported in the literature to predict biological tumour behaviour
| Benign | “Borderline” | Malignant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparison of the criteria used in attempts to predict biological tumour behaviour. The data highlight the current variability in parameters used as reported in the literature. Although mitotic activity defined in mm2 or field diameter would be preferable, the designation “high power fields (HPF)” is used in the cited literature. | |||
| MI, mitotic index. | |||
| de Saint Aubain Somerhausen and Fletcher44 | |||
| MI | 0–2/30HPF | 3–4/30HPF | >4/30HPF |
| (spindle cell lesion, no atypia) | (spindle cell lesion, no atypia) | (spindle cell lesion, no atypia) | |
| 2–3/30HPF | >2/30HPF | ||
| (spindle cell lesion, mild atypia) | (spindle cell lesion, frank atypia) | ||
| 0/30HPF | 1/30HPF | >1/30HPF | |
| (epithelioid lesion) | (epithelioid lesion) | (epithelioid lesion) | |
| Miettinen and colleagues2 | |||
| MI | 0–1/10HPF | 2–5/10HPF | >5/10HPF |
| (gastric lesion) | (gastric lesion) | (gastric lesion) | |
| Criteria concerning mitotic activity for tumours at other sites is less informative | |||
| Size | <5 cm | 5–10 cm | >10 cm |
| (gastric lesion) | (gastric lesion) | (gastric lesion) | |
| Criteria for size is less well established | |||
| Kindblom and colleagues18 | |||
| MI | 0/10HPF | 1 or more/10HPF | |
| xOther | Bland cytology | Some but not all of the features of malignancy | Frank cellular/nuclear atypia |
| No necrosis | Necrosis | ||
| No mucosal infiltration | Mucosal infiltration | ||
| Haemorrhage | |||
