Reasons for datasets
These datasets have been written to help pathologists work towards a consistent app-roach for the reporting of the more common cancers. A consistent approach is important as it will facilitate:
a) communication with clinicians to achieve optimal patient management
b) clinical audit within a pathology service
c) equitable comparison between cancer services
d) the recording of data by Cancer Registries and as part of the National Cancer Dataset.

Working Group on Cancer Services
The Royal College of Pathologists’ Specialty Advisory Committee on Histopathology established the Working Group on Cancer Services in 1996 to commission and review a series of succinct, evidence-based publications defining minimum standards of reporting common cancers, to ensure that pathological standards are defined by histopathologists and to prevent the proliferation of diverse and possibly conflicting local guidelines.
Current membership of the Working Group
Terms of reference
Recommendations of the Working Group

Introduction to datasets
The datasets have been developed by pathologists who have extensive experience of the demands of current clinical practice and have been subject to consultation with relevant subspecialty pathology groups and societies, with general pathologists, cancer registries and with national medical and surgical stakeholders in order to obtain the broadest possible consensus.

The datasets are evidence-based and highlight the core items of pathological information that are most important for patient management. The core items are those that will be recorded by Cancer Registries and will include core data for the National Cancer Dataset. Other (non-core) data items may be recorded to improve the clarity of reports, because of particular local interest, for monitoring clinical trials or for research.

As far as possible, the datasets conform to a standard format. They include a proforma and, for some cancers, a synoptic reporting form that are intended to act as an aide memoire when reporting specific tumours. The data in the proforma may be presented as, or supplemented by, free text but the use of proformas in histopathology reporting is recommended as they are effective in ensuring that all necessary data are consistently provided.

To download the datasets
The standards and datasets are published on the College website as separate documents for each topic.
Standard datasets for reporting cancers can all be downloaded here.

Guidelines for authors of datasets
Guidelines for authors

Review process
The datasets will be regularly reviewed by the authors to ensure that advances in knowledge and treatment options are incorporated in a timely manner. The College is committed to audit the standard of the datasets using internationally agreed guidelines (www.agreecollaboration.org) and feedback from this audit will be incorporated into the regular review of each dataset.

Licensing
The Royal College of Pathologists will licence the use of the text and proformas contained within the datasets to commercial providers of laboratory computer systems and reporting software.
The terms of engagement with commercial companies

For further information, please contact the Professional Standards Unit at the College.