[540] Transcontinental Distribution of Contributors to the WHO Classification of Tumor Series.

Rajan Dewar, Sheila Nair, Sumeet Gujral. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Christian Medical College, Vellore, TamilNadu, India; Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Background: The WHO classification of tumor series serves as an excellent comprehensive & globally affordable publication. Since diagnostic guidelines proposed by these series sets the practice standards for pathologists worldwide, it is important that the contributors to this series be representative and knowledgeable of pathology practices & available resources. Towards this, in this study we analyzed transcontinental distribution of the contributors.
Design: Data was collated from published contributors list within the recent available editions of 8 WHO Classification of Tumor Series. The surveyed series include: (1) Breast, (2) CNS, (3) Endocrine (4) GU & Prostate (5) Head & Neck (6) Hematolymphoid (7) Lung (8) Soft Tissue. The published contributor list was the primary source of data. The contributors were sub-classified according to the locations of their institutional affiliations into 5 major geographical continents: Africa, Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe.
Results: Most (87%; 953/1097) contributors to the WHO series were from Europe or Americas. The continent of Africa was not represented in 5 of the 8 series surveyed and Australia in 2 of the 8 series. Within the minority (non-Euro/US) continents, contributors were from mostly clustered in industrialized countries.

DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRIBUTORS (ALPHABETICAL)

BREAST	CNS	ENDOCRINE	GU&PROSTATE	HEAD&NECK	HEMATOLYMPHOID	LUNG	SOFT TISSUE&BONE
0	0	0	1	3	0	0	1
36	30	78	65	47	54	80	75
7	9	13	7	29	12	37	13
2	0	1	2	0	2	2	3
91	35	61	47	50	72	78	54
136	74	153	122	129	140	197	146

ROWS (top to bottom): Africa; Americas; Asia; Australia; Europe; Total


Conclusions: Much of scientific progress in health care takes place in the Western World. The histopathological classification scheme of tumors is based on modern scientific evidence and available advanced techniques in western countries. Given that the World Health Organization serves the world, it is important that the classification scheme take into consideration the epidemiological profile of diseases and available resources, globally. Representative contributors from individual nations will provide insight into resources and diseases, and this will make the WHO series a practical and successful compendium of tumor classification, globally.
Category: Education

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 9:30 AM

Poster Session III # 141, Tuesday Morning