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Published on: March 6, 2018
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Cutaneous tissue samples show significant shrinkage during histopathological work-up: a real-world study
Vitali Bagirov1, Erhard Bierhoff2,3, Manfred Uerlich2
1Private Practitioner, Ransbach-Baumbach, Germany.
Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology
|August 2, 2024
Summary
Cutaneous neoplasm samples significantly shrink after excision, with most size reduction occurring immediately. Expect smaller tissue dimensions in histopathology reports due to this effect.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pathology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Cutaneous neoplasms require excision and histological examination for diagnosis and treatment.
- Discrepancies between in vivo and ex vivo tumor dimensions can impact assessments of tumor size and safety margins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the dimensional changes of cutaneous neoplasms during excision and histological processing.
- To quantify tissue shrinkage and identify factors influencing these changes.
Main Methods:
- 401 specimens from 324 patients with cutaneous neoplasms were studied.
- Tissue dimensions (length, width, thickness) were measured before excision, after excision, after formalin fixation, and after sectioning.
- Patient age, gender, anatomical site, and tumor type were recorded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- All processed tissues showed significant median reductions in length (21.0%), width (30.7%), and thickness (28.0%).
- The most substantial shrinkage occurred immediately post-excision.
- Younger patients and samples from the trunk or lower extremities exhibited greater shrinkage.
Conclusions:
- Significant tissue shrinkage in cutaneous neoplasms primarily happens after excision.
- Age and anatomical site influence tissue contractility and shrinkage.
- Histopathological reports should account for expected reductions in tissue size.
