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Update From the 4th Edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck Tumours: Tumours of the Ear

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Abstract

The 2017 fourth edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Tumours, specifically as it relates to the ear (Chap. 9), has several changes. Importantly, the number of entities has been significantly reduced by omitting tumors or lesions if they do not occur exclusively or predominantly at this site or if they are discussed in detail elsewhere in the book. These entities include: embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, osteoma, exostosis, angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, Schneiderian papilloma, inverted papilloma, lipoma of the internal auditory canal, hemangioma, hematolymphoid tumors, and secondary tumors. Paraganglioma was included in the neck chapter. New entries include otosclerosis and cholesteatoma, while refinements to nomenclature, classification and criteria were incorporated into the ceruminous gland tumors and epithelial tumors of the middle and inner ear. Specifically, the middle and inner ear were combined, as practical limitations of origin and imaging make a definitive separation artificial. The classification reflects the state of current understanding for these uncommon entities, with this update only highlighting selected entities that were the most significantly changed.

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  1. Department of Pathology, Southern California Kaiser Permanente Group, Woodland Hills Medical Center, 5601 De Soto Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA, 91365, USA

    Lester D. R. Thompson

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Special Issue: World Health Organization Classification Update

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Thompson, L.D.R. Update From the 4th Edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck Tumours: Tumours of the Ear. Head and Neck Pathol 11, 78–87 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-017-0790-5

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