Subcommittees

Seven subcommittees were established at the beginning of the 6th edition. Their role is to review information in their domains and provide input to the standing and expert members for consideration in the 6th edition. Two subcommittees with similar mandates were merged, meaning there are currently six subcommittees.
Subcommittees are chaired by a member of the Standing Editorial Board and are composed of members who are experts in their field.

  • Genetics and Genomics
  • Computational Pathology
  • WCT/LMIC Liaison
  • Tumour Harmonisation
  • Imaging
  • Gray Zone and Rare Tumours Refining Subcommittee (formed when the two subcommittees below fused)
    • Tumour Defining and Clarification
    • Grey Zone and Rare Tumours 

 

Genetics and Genomics Subcommittee

Goal: To provide information and guidance on new molecular and genetic advances

Membership:
Chair: Jennelle Hodge
Co-Chair(s): Mark Ewalt
Members: 
Subasri Armon
Wendy Cooper
Lynnette Fernandez-Cuesta
Stephen B Fox
Joe Khoury
Zhiyong Liang
Neal Lindeman
George Netto
Fernando Schmitt
Antonia Sepulveda
John A Tadross
Yasushi Yatabe
Bo Zhang

Guidelines:

The committee has developed the following guidelines:

  • Genetics/Genomics Information Guidelines for Editors and Authors
  • Supplemental Guidelines for Inclusion of Genetics/Genomics in WCT Chapter Sections
  • Guidelines for Inclusion of Genetic Tumour Syndromes in Organ-specific Books
  • Each book’s molecular genetics representative will be the point person for guideline application

 

Computational Pathology Subcommittee

Goal: To facilitate WCT adoption of computational pathology including AI and expand the existing WSI Image library.

Membership:
Chair: Michael Eden
Co-Chair(s): Jeroen van der Laak, Rajendra Singh
Members:
Arnaud de la Fouchardière
Catarina Eloy
Matheiu Foll
Vicky Goh
Gabrielle Goldman-Levy (WCT  - until Dec24)
Shumpei Ishikawa
Joseph Khoury
Zhiyong Liang
Pierre Moulain
Liron Pantanowitz
Puay Hoon Tan
Hamid Reza Tizhoosh
Inti Zlobec

Guidelines:

  • At least one high quality WSI per tumour type
  • Accompanied by Legend (Tissue origin, Diagnosis, Points of interest) and also the name of the reporting pathologist(s) and name of the diagnosing institution.
  • Use of AI tools to be expanded within the introductions.
  • The system should be robust enough to be used with low-bandwidth connections.
  • Consider annotations / short educational videos that would explain the WSI – would expand audience that could look at histology.
  • Consider access to images from a variety of devices (PC, phones, tablets etc.)

 

WCT/LMIC Subcommittee

Goal: To ensure that the Classification is relevant and useful worldwide and devise ways to mitigate the impact of molecular classifications in LMIC settings

Membership:
Chair: Andrew Field
Co-Chair(s): 
Members: 
Yassmine Akkari
Giulia De Falco
Daphe De Jong
Chandu De Silva
Merce Jorda
Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna
James Kench
Katia Leite
Pamela Michelow
Anna Plotkin
Joseph Rabban
Bharat Rekhi
Jadhav Sachin
Vani Santosh
Shahin Sayed
Miguel Reyes-Múgica
Nasir Ud Din

Guidelines:

  • Present current best practice including all relevant ancillary testing.
  • Present the histopathology and diagnostic criteria for each tumour, with an emphasis on providing a differential diagnosis based on the histopathological features.
  • Indicate clearly if the diagnosis is not possible on histopathology alone.
  • Include diagnostic pathways based on
    • histopathology alone
    • histopathology plus basic IHC or
    • histopathology plus more complex IHC, FISH, PCR or other molecular tests
  • IHC of each tumour - present with a tiered approach, as follows
    • IHC tests essential for the diagnosis (included in ‘Essential diagnostic criteria’)
    • IHC tests required to further refine the diagnosis,
    • IHC tests required to provide clinical prognostic and treatment information
  • NGS and other molecular diagnostic tests - indicate whether essential for the diagnosis (included in the “Essential diagnostic criteria’) or a desirable ancillary test. Include clues in histopathology to the diagnosis, and any surrogate IHC or ancillary tests (e.g. FISH or PCR tests), that may help to make the diagnosis through an alternative pathway.
  • Include a section for cytopathology for each tumour type where possible.
  • Include cytopathologists as authors where necessary.

 

Tumour Harmonisation Subcommittee

Goal: Harmonization of tumours that transect several organ systems in the BBs (ST, HEAM, NEN, Paed)

Membership:
Chair: George Netto
Co-Chair(s): Daphne de Jong
Members: 
Alaggio Rita
Davidson Ben
Davis Jessica L.
Kench James G.
Khoury Joseph David
Lubieniecki Fabiana
Marino-Enriquez Adrian
Martins Bezerra Stephania
Rekhi Bharat
Reyes-Múgica Miguel
Rindi Guido
Rous Brian
Sayed Shahin
Shi Chanjuan
Varga Zsuzsanna

Guidelines for including haematopathology tumours in organ specific books

  • Tumours unique to organ system (e.g. breast implant-associated ALCL, primary testicular large B-cell lymphoma [of immune-privileged sites)
  • Tumours with tropism to an organ system (e.g. mantle cell lymphoma involvement of the GI tract)
  • Tumours that secondarily involve organ system with high frequency
  • Less frequent entities can be presented in table format in the introduction with references to WHO-HAEM5
  • WHO-HAEM5 provides the foundation for definitions and essential/desirable criteria
  • Text may require adaptation to include organ specific data or specific differential diagnostic considerations


Guidelines for including paediatric tumours

  • Entities that affect predominantly/specifically (>90% of cases) paediatric age range ("<"18) - explained in detail only in the Blue Book of Paediatric tumours, or in a paediatric-dedicated chapter/section. They can be mentioned briefly or included in tables in other books with a reference made to the corresponding section in the paediatric book.
  • Harmonize nomenclature and diagnostic/essential criteria across BB

 

Imaging Subcommittee 

Goal: To develop a gold standard image base for the 6th edition and for the web, envisioning a future radiology classification.

Membership:
Chair: Vicky Goh
Co-Chair(s): Rajat Chowdhury
Members: 
Regina Beets-Tan
Winnie Chiu Wing Chu
Masahiro Jinzaki
Egesta Lopci
Maurice B.Loughrey
Mizuki Nishino
Deepak Patkar
William  Poon
Sona Pungavkar
Christian van der Pol

Guidelines:

  • Identify any key gaps in imaging:
  • Use an evidence-based approach to guide inclusion of imaging information and figures in BBs
  • Ensure radiology input - Name key radiologist for each book
  • Templates for imaging figures and other radiology information are being developed

 

Gray Zone and Rare Tumours Refining Subcommittee 

Goal: To provide guidance and develop criteria for inclusion of new entities and to review the current classification, identify tumours that may require further clarification and refining, and provide book specific suggestions to be discussed by the Editorial Boards.

Membership:
Chair: Gary Tse
Co-Chair(s): Brian Rous (Wendy Cooper Anna Felix)
Members: 
Agaimy Abbas
Alaggio Rita
Andre Fabrice
Argani Pedram
Baumhoer Daniel
Bibeau Frederic
Brogi Edi
Chan John K.C.
Croce Sabrina
Davis Jessica L.
Eden Michael
Fernandez-Cuesta Lynnette
Khoury Joseph David
Kulka Janina
Le Loarer François
Liang Zhiyong
Loughrey Maurice B.
Maeda Daichi
Matias-Guiu Xavier
Nakanuma Yasuni
Orosz Zsolt
Rekhi Bharat
Reyes-Múgica Miguel
Ryška Aleš
Sapino Anna
Sepulveda Antonia R.
Shi Chanjuan
Torbenson Michael S.
Yantiss Rhonda
Yoshida Akihiko

Guidelines: 

Definitions
Tumour Type (formerly known as “entity”): A separate entity in which multiple parameters (e.g. clinical, location, histopathological, and/or molecular) differ from those of other types.

Tumour subtype: A tumour recognized as being different in at least 1 dimension from the main tumour type (clinical/histological/genetic), preferably resulting in different treatment or outcome.

Patterns: differ from subtypes in morphological aspects only, but not in underlying biological/molecular features, treatment or outcome.

Variant: The word “variant” should be reserved for the meaning “genetic variant”.

Criteria for new entities to be included in the Blue books

  • Consider new entities if there is a unique combination of sufficiently distinct pathological features and/or clinically relevant characteristics (diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutically predictive) compared to current entities.
  • Suggested level of evidence for a new entity
    • At least 2 high quality peer reviewed case series of at least 5 cases. (EB will determine whether a given publication is of sufficient quality, Case reports are not sufficient)
    • From distinct investigator groups.
  • Additional criteria when using genetic features to support creation of tumour entities
    • One or more distinct molecular or cytogenetic features.
    • Does not meet criteria under other tumour types with defining genetic abnormalities
    • Not based solely on therapy-related mutations.

Provisional entity – Used if there is uncertainty whether entity is sufficiently distinct for inclusion.

  • Emerging entity – Avoid this term
  • Entities that do not fulfil criteria for full inclusion or as “provisional” - could be covered in Introduction sections as a potential new entity
  • All entities listed in the 5th edition as “provisional”, or “emerging” entities should be reassessed