Cancer datasets and tissue pathways

The College's Datasets for Histopathological Reporting on Cancers are vital for standardising cancer reporting methods among pathologists. These datasets define the range of acceptable practice in handling pathology specimens, and enhance cancer diagnosis and treatment quality.

Cancer datasets encompass structured collections of data related to cancer patients. Tissue pathways are instrumental in defining best practices when handling pathology specimens from patients who do not have cancer. These guidelines are pivotal in raising the bar for healthcare standards in pathology.

TNM 9 is to be implemented in most specialties for patients diagnosed on or after 1 January 2026. A full list of staging systems to be used (by specialty) is available in the Recommendations from the Recommendation on the use of tumour staging systems from the College’s Working Group on Cancer Services. See below for the full list of staging recommendations for each specialty.

The updated TNM 9 staging appendices are now available accompanying the datasets below.

As of June 2026 there have been minor updates to SNOMED coding and terms for the datasets so for up to date codes please refer to the separate appendices rather than the dataset document itself.

G073 Tissue pathways for gynaecological pathology

February 2023
An audit on tissue pathways for gynaecological pathology

March 2023
Webinar: Implementation guidance for gynaecological pathology

January 2024

The Professional Guidelines team are launching an online learning programme to further support pathologists with the implementation of new and revised clinical guidelines.

Click here for more information and to book a place onto one of the upcoming webinars.

Recently published cancer datasets and tissue pathways

G061 Tissue pathways for native medical renal biopsies (27 March 2026)
G044 Dataset for histopathological reporting of tumours of the urinary collecting system (renal pelvis, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra) (7 July 2025)
G114 Dataset for the histopathological reporting of carcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses (17 February 2025)
G055 Dataset for histopathological reporting of ocular retinoblastoma (28 January 2025)
G187 Dataset for histopathological reporting of carcinomas and mucinous neoplasms of the appendix (2 December 2024)
G148 Dataset for histopathological reporting of breast disease in surgical excision specimens of breast cancer (20 November 2024)

Update on Skin Cancer Datasets

Revision of skin datasets is awaiting the upcoming publication of the 5th edition of WHO Skin Tumours.

Upcoming Cancer datasets and tissue pathways

Barrett's oesophagus (new)
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (new)
Ear and temporal bone tumours (new)
Malignant odontogenic tumours (new)
Mucosal melanomas of the head and neck (new)