[Cooperation between the pathologist and surgeon in modern cancer surgery]

Management of up-to-date cancer therapy in strict accordance with histology and stage warrants more than ever a competent co-operation of the pathologist. For this reason the surgical pathologist has to act in dual roles as a diagnostician and consultant. With reference to the internationally acknowledged histological grading and classification of malignant tumors and further the refined principles of the TNM-classification, diagnostic requirements for surgical pathology have considerably been extended in the field of interdisciplinary oncology.