A new series of Invited Reviews on WHO tumor classification.

Abstract

The International Journal of Cancer (IJC) is launching a new series of Invited Reviews on the topic of tumor classification, highlighting recent advances in diagnosis, pathology and prevention of selected tumor entities. This series will be written in cooperation with the editorial board of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors publications, also known as the WHO Blue Books. The WHO Blue Book series (https://whobluebooks.iarc.fr/) is an important reference for pathologists as well as for cancer researchers worldwide. Each of the 15 books focuses on a major cancer group, covering over 300 tumor subtypes. The WHO Blue Books provide standards for the classification of cancer subtypes; they also describe the recent developments in the histopathological and molecular diagnosis and its relevance to novel therapeutic options. Thus, each book also provides a helpful primer into the current standing of diagnosis, research and molecular alterations leading to tumorigenesis of certain cancer types, and supports researchers entering the field with a wealth of up-to-date information. The IJC review series will target a broad audience of cancer researchers and will help young scientists to rapidly familiarize themselves with a particular cancer field, and define the most relevant questions that need to be addressed in a particular malignancy. The focus will be on the most recent advances that will help to prevent, diagnose or treat a particular cancer, as well as strategies to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to its development. This editorial accompanies the publication of the commentary “WHO classification of tumors: How should tumors be classified? Expert consensus, systematic reviews or both?”1 Here, Uttley et al. discuss the current processes and potential problems associated with establishing new guidelines. Currently, expert teams at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) summarize literature-based information to build the content of the WHO Blue Books. This approach carries the risk of introducing biases, for example, in the selection or interpretation of relevant literature. In their commentary, Uttley et al. propose “non-negotiables” for performing literature reviews: transparency, searching rigor, double-checking and risk of bias assessment, all of which feed into the information content of the WHO Blue Books series. This commentary is helpful to understand the information provided in the WHO Blue Books, and will hopefully ignite lasting collaboration between the International Journal of Cancer and the WHO Blue Book experts.