Description

Pathology of the oesophagus and intestinal tract forms a huge part of the workload in all district general and most teaching hospitals. The authors for this issue have been selected as those experts who are able to provide practical guidance for the day to day reporting of gastrointestinal diseases. The topics selected for this issue are those which I believe to be currently of greatest importance to practising general pathologists. Gastrointestinal pathology along with breast pathology has taken the lead in providing evidence based guidelines for the reporting of specimens and Phil Quirke has put the pathologist firmly in the driving seat for guiding post-operative treatment in rectal cancer. It is important therefore that we have two articles from his unit. One from himself on rectal cancer and one from Nic Mapstone who is doing a similarly excellent job to propagate uniformity in reporting of oesophageal cancer resection specimens.

Barretts oesophagus is being persistently complicated by many confusing editorials and leaders in the literature. This is mainly because of a North American/UK divide in diagnostic criteria for this condition. Neil Shepherd and Leigh Biddlestone have presented a superb user-friendly guide to this complex area which will aid patient management.

Gastritis and Helicobacter pylori provide so much literature each year that pathologists and gastroenterologists outside a highly specialised group cannot possibly read it all. Marjorie Walker has provided an excellent and simple guide to practical diagnosis and the management and classification of gastritides.

Geraint Williams and Nick Maynard have used their vast experience to provide an update on early gastric cancer. An equally huge experience is presented by Ashley Price on the differential diagnosis of many perplexing conditions which mimic chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

The duodenal biopsy has largely replaced formal jejunal biopsy in the histological contribution to the diagnosis of gluten-sensitive enteropathy and Dermot Hourihane brings his years of experience to sorting out the difficult duodenal biopsy.

In my own small contribution I have tried to deal with the practical issues of management related to common polyps seen in routine practice.

I hope you will attempt the multiple choice questions and send them back with a cheque to gain 3 CPD credits.