WHO Classification of Tumors of Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues

WHO (World Health Organization) classification of hematopoietic and lymphoid tumors is based on defining diseases that can be recognized by pathologists and that appears to be distinct clinical entities. Since almost 20 years, this classification associates the European Association for Haematopathology and the Society for Hematopathology (USA) as well as a clinical advisory committee. Hematopathologists, hematologists, oncologists, and geneticists are involved in the committee. The aim is to compromise on the definitions and nomenclature of the different diseases in interaction with the WHO and IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). This compromise should facilitate the use of this classification by all the pathologists over the world in the aim to compare disease frequency, prognosis, and response to therapy. Today, the tools to be able to classify the tumors expand and comprised cytopathology, histopathology, paraffin sections immunohistochemistry and/or in situ...