Abstract
The second edition of Tumor Diagnosis: Practical Approach and Pattern Analysis is a handbook aimed to help the MD pathologist in arriving at diagnoses of tumors in the day-to-day practice. Following the approach of the first edition, the first part this book attempts to analyze tumor patterns. All tumors are subgrouped into 10 major categories, including: glandular/pseudoglandular, non-glandular epithelial/epithelioid, round cell, spindle cell, spindle cell admixed with other mesenchymal components, biphasic, vascular, prominent non-cellular, distinctive cell types, and surface epithelial patterns associated with or affected by neoplastic process. Examples of common tumors are provided for each pattern. The described categorization of tumors according to patterns is an unusual approach that presents a commendable effort to have pathologists think within the patterns and cell types described and to use a surgical pathology approach. Obviously, to fit each tumor into one of 10 categories according to its pattern, results in a simplified classification and neglects major microscopic features of many entities.
The second part follows a more classical approach by describing tumors of the various anatomical sites, which have been arranged in alphabetical order. For each tumor entity the clinical, prognostic, and pathological features, including important details on cell morphology, relevant secondary changes, differential diagnoses and special techniques to confirm the diagnosis, as well as a bibliographic section, are provided. Even though this part categorizes tumors by anatomical location and most described tumor entities correspond in large portions with the entities in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, the tumor entities within each chapter are organized alphabetically and not according to WHO, and chapter 15 is dedicated to carcinomas regardless of their anatomical location. The second part encompasses 1198 pages that make up the bulk of this book. However, compared to other surgical pathology texts, which commonly consist of 2 or 3 volumes, this is still a rather brief classification of tumors by anatomical site and not detailed enough to be used by veterinary pathologists as a good comparative text. I found it especially disappointing that many of the descriptions of tumor entities within this part of the book did not include the particular pattern described within the first part. The last chapter in this second part of the book describes techniques used for the diagnosis of tumors, a laudable attempt that with only 46 pages must fall short in providing sufficient information for most pathologists. The space should have rather been used for images and tumor descriptions; technical details should be left for specialized publications.
The last part of this book is a system index according to the various patterns described in the first part. Again all systems are listed in alphabetical order and the specific tumor entities within each system are listed under the various pattern categories.
The book contains 1415 color images that describe the various tumor patterns and most of the tumor entities in parts 1 and 2. There are no images in part 3. Besides hematoxylin and eosin photographs a number of images of immunohistochemical and histochemical stains are included. The quality of the photographs is rather disappointing. The lack of bright and crisp colors may be due to the choice of non-glossy images, however, lower magnification photographs often have a yellowish background and are extremely eosinophilic.
In summary, the categorization of tumor entities according to their pattern may provide a useful entrance into surgical pathology for residents and certainly can help to develop an appearance oriented approach in addition to the classical system based approach. That might be the main value of this book for the veterinary pathologist, and one has to decide whether 62 pages of these pattern descriptions justify a purchase.