What are the morphologic predictors of behavior of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus? The OESO malignancy index and histologic staging

Abstract

A malignancy index identifies a group of morphologic features that have some validity as predictors of survival, separates each of them into subsets to which are given numbers, and then derives a numerical total of all the numbers of all the morphologic subsets for each case. This is predicated upon the supposition that all morphologic features carry the same weight, so that their variable subsets will define a series of valid measurements. The index is also predicated upon the supposition that the numerical designations given to each morphologic aspect are given in the proper order. Unfortunately, these features may not be equal, and we may not know how to put them in proper sequence.