Cancer Protocols

Published protocols

The majority of the following RCPA Structured Reporting Protocols are based on the 2010 AJCC/UICC 7th edition Cancer Staging Manual. However, updates to the 2016 TNM 8th edition are underway, where applicable.

The guides, forms and request information sheets are provided for educational purposes and to support the implementation of structured pathology reporting of cancer.

  • Guides are designed to be an  'aide de memoire' when reporting and contain a condensed version of the standards and guidelines from the protocol. 'Help' in the form of the relevant sections from the protocol is available by clicking on the hyperlinked standard or guideline number. The guides are the easiest way of accessing the wealth of information in the protocol. (You will need an active internet connection to view the information.)
  • Forms are designed to provide a paper version of the checklist in Chapter 6 of the protocol, with response values and spaces for notes.
  • Request Information sheets are designed to provide guidance for clinicians requesting surgical pathology for specific cancers describing the type of information required by the pathologist to adequately assess the specimen.
  • Typists templates are intended to faciliate data entry of dictated structured reports. These should not be used for implementation purposes.

Note: Version updates to the protocols V1.2, V1.3 etc represent minor formatting updates only and do not substantially change the content of the protocol in any way.

To provide feedback on any published protocol - click here.

Cancer Protocol Guide Form Request InformationTypists Template
Bone & Soft Tissue
Protocol - soft tissue tumour resections v1.0 (265 kB) Mar 2011
Guide - soft tissue tumour resections V1.2 (207 kB) Mar 2011
Proforma - soft tissue tumours V1.1 (185 kB) Mar 2011
Request - soft tissue tumours V1.0 (126 kB) Mar 2011
Typist template - soft tissue tumours V1.0 (18.4 kB) Mar 2011
Breast
Protocol - invasive breast cancer v2.3 (1.6 MB) Nov 2012
Guide - invasive breast cancer V2.3 (337 kB) Nov 2012
Proforma - invasive breast cancer V2.3 (385 kB) Nov 2012
Request - invasive breast cancer V2.0 (184 kB) Nov 2012
Typist template - invasive breast cancer V2.1 (22 kB) Nov 2012
Cytology
Protocol - thyroid FNA cytology v2.0 (1.1 MB) Jun 2019
Guide - thyroid FNA cytology v2 (291 kB) Jun 2019
Proforma - thyroid FNA cytology v2 (399 kB) Jun 2019
Request - thyroid FNA cytology v2 (269 kB) Jun 2019
Typist template - thyroid FNA cytology v2 (17.1 kB) Jun 2019
Gastrointestinal
Protocol - colorectal cancer v3.0 (925 kB) May 2016
Protocol - polypectomy & local resections CR v1.1 (2.5 MB) Nov 2013
Protocol - gastric cancer v1.1 (489 kB) Mar 2011
Protocol - endoscopic resection oesophagus v1.0 (4.6 MB) Feb 2013
Protocol - oesophageal and GOJ cancers v1.0 (3.9 MB) Feb 2013
Protocol - pancreatic cancer v1.0 (804 kB) Nov 2013
Protocol - liver cancer v1.0 (803 kB) Jun 2019
Guide - colon cancer V3.0 (202 kB) May 2016
Guide - rectal cancer V3.0 (208 kB) May 2016
Guide - polypectomy & local resections CR v1 (224 kB) Nov 2013
Guide - gastric cancer V1.0 (179 kB) Mar 2011
Guide - endoscopic resections oesophagus V1.0 (203 kB) Feb 2013
Guide - oesophageal and GOJ cancers V1.0 (235 kB) Feb 2013
Guide - pancreatic cancer V1.0 (261 kB) Nov 2013
Guide - liver cancer v1 (248 kB) Jun 2019
Proforma - colorectal cancer V3.0 (204 kB) May 2016
Proforma - polypectomy & local resections CR V1.0 (800 kB) Nov 2013
Proforma - gastric cancer V1.0 (167 kB) Mar 2011
Proforma - endoscopic resections oesophagus V1.0 (251 kB) Feb 2013
Proforma - oesophageal and GOJ cancers V1.0 (243 kB) Feb 2013
Proforma - pancreatic cancer V1.0 (276 kB) Nov 2013
Proforma - liver cancer v1 (247 kB) Jun 2019
Request - colorectal cancer V2.0 (101 kB) Aug 2013
Request - polypectomy & local resections CR V1.0 (223 kB) Nov 2013
Request - gastric cancer V1.0 (129 kB) Mar 2011
Request - endoscopic resections oesophagus V1.0 (161 kB) Feb 2013
Request - oesophageal and GOJ cancers V1.0 (352 kB) Feb 2013
Request - pancreatic cancer V1.0 (192 kB) Nov 2013
Request - liver cancer v1 (159 kB) Jun 2019
Typist template - colorectal cancer V3.0 (26 kB) May 2016
Typist template - polypectomy 1 (19.4 kB) Nov 2013
Typist template - gastric cancer V1.0 (19.4 kB) Mar 2011
Typist template - endoscopic resection oesophagus V1.0 (19.5 kB) Feb 2013
Typist template - oesophageal and GOJ cancers V1.0 (19.9 kB) Feb 2013
Typist template - pancreatic cancer V1.0 (36 kB) Nov 2013
Typist template - liver cancer v1 (21 kB) Jun 2019
Genitourinary
Protocol - bladder cancer v2.0 (1.2 MB) Aug 2018
Protocol - Bladder TUR and Biopsy v1.0 (1004 kB) Aug 2018
Protocol - Renal pelvis and ureter v1.0 (1.1 MB) Aug 2018
Protocol - Urethral cancer v1.0 (1.1 MB) Aug 2018
Protocol - penile cancer v1.0 (1.1 MB) Jul 2018
Protocol - prostate cancer - TURP v1.0 (1 MB) Jul 2018
Protocol - prostate cancer - core biopsy v2.0 (1.8 MB) Jul 2018
Protocol - prostate cancer - radical prostatectomy v3.0 (2.2 MB) Jul 2018
Protocol - renal cancer - nephrectomy v2.0 (1.2 MB) Jul 2018
Protocol - renal biopsy for tumour v1.0 (754 kB) Jul 2018
Protocol - testicular tumours v2.0 (1.6 MB) Jul 2018
Protocol - testicular tumours - RPLND v1.0 (1.3 MB) Jul 2018
Guide - bladder cancer V2.0 (237 kB) Aug 2018
Guide - Bladder TUR and Biopsy V1.0 (206 kB) Aug 2018
Guide - Renal pelvis and ureter V1.0 (241 kB) Aug 2018
Guide - Urethral cancer V1.0 (242 kB) Aug 2018
Guide - penile cancer v1.0 (276 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - prostate cancer - TURP v1.0 (193 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - prostate cancer - core biopsy 2.0 (198 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - prostate cancer - radical prostatectomy V3.0 (228 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - renal cancer - nephrectomy V2.0 (243 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - Renal Biopsy for Tumour v1.0 (205 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - testicular tumours V2.0 (245 kB) Jul 2018
Guide - testicular tumours - RPLND v1.0 (237 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - bladder cancer V2.0 (254 kB) Aug 2018
Proforma - Bladder TUR and Biopsy V1.0 (218 kB) Aug 2018
Proforma - Renal pelvis and ureter V1.0 (263 kB) Aug 2018
Proforma - Urethral cancer V1.0 (262 kB) Aug 2018
Proforma - penile cancer V1.0 (293 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - prostate cancer - TURP v1.0 (442 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - prostate cancer - core biopsy V2.0 (605 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - prostate cancer - radical prostatectomy V3.0 (238 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - renal cancer - nephrectomy V2.0 (250 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - Renal Biopsy for Tumour V1.0 (208 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - testicular tumours V2.0 (251 kB) Jul 2018
Proforma - testicular tumours - RPLND v1.0 (222 kB) Jul 2018
Request - bladder cancer V2.0 (140 kB) Aug 2018
Request - Bladder TUR and Biopsy V1.0 (142 kB) Aug 2018
Request - Renal pelvis and ureter V1.0 (138 kB) Aug 2018
Request - Urethral cancer V1.0 (139 kB) Aug 2018
Request - penile cancer V1.0 (217 kB) Jul 2018
Request - prostate cancer - TURP V1.0 (134 kB) Jul 2018
Request - prostate cancer - core biopsy V2.0 (177 kB) Jul 2018
Request - prostate cancer - radical prostatectomy V3.0 (135 kB) Jul 2018
Request - renal cancer - nephrectomy V2.0 (154 kB) Jul 2018
Request - Renal Biopsy for Tumour V1.0 (152 kB) Jul 2018
Request - testicular tumours V2.0 (215 kB) Jul 2018
Request - testicular tumours - RPLND V1.0 (209 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - bladder cancer V2.0 (18.2 kB) Aug 2018
Typist template - Bladder TUR and Biopsy V1.0 (17.3 kB) Aug 2018
Typist template - Renal pelvis and ureter V1.0 (18 kB) Aug 2018
Typist template - Urethral cancer V1.0 (18.2 kB) Aug 2018
Typist template - penile cancers V1.0 (21 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - prostate cancer - TURP V1.0 (17.4 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - prostate cancer - core biopsy 2.0 (17.6 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - prostate cancer - radical prostatectomy V3.0 (18.3 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - renal cancer - nephrectomy V2.0 (25 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - renal biopsy for tumour V1.0 (20 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - testicular tumours V2.0 (24 kB) Jul 2018
Typist template - testicular tumours - RPLND V1.0 (19.9 kB) Jul 2018
Gynaecological
Protocol - Cervical pre-neoplasia v1.0 (1.5 MB) Mar 2017
Protocol - Ovary FT PPS v1.0 (896 kB) Jun 2016
Protocol - cervical cancer v1.0 (2.2 MB) Nov 2013
Protocol - Endometrial cancer v2.0 (1.3 MB) Dec 2019
Protocol - vulva cancer v1.0 (1.1 MB) Feb 2013
Guide - Cervical pre-neoplasia (364 kB) Mar 2017
Guide - Ovary FT PPS v1.0 (304 kB) Jun 2016
Guide - cervical cancer V1.0 (231 kB) Nov 2013
Guide - Endometrial cancer V2.0 (170 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - vulva cancer V1.0 (199 kB) Feb 2013
Proforma - Cervical pre-neoplasia (400 kB) Mar 2017
Proforma - Ovary FT PPS v1.0 (355 kB) Jun 2016
Proforma - cervical cancer V1.0 (248 kB) Nov 2013
Proforma - Endometrial cancer V2.0 (195 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - vulva cancer V1.0 (279 kB) Feb 2013
Request - Cervical pre-neoplasia (213 kB) Mar 2017
Request - Ovary FT PPS V1.0 (192 kB) Jun 2016
Request - cervical cancer V1.0 (147 kB) Nov 2013
Request - Endometrial cancer V2.0 (112 kB) Dec 2019
Request - vulva cancer V1.0 (255 kB) Feb 2013
Typist template - Cervical pre-neoplasia (27 kB) Mar 2017
Typist template - Ovary FT PPS v1.0 (26 kB) Jun 2016
Typist template - cervical cancer 1 (20 kB) Nov 2013
Typist template - Endometrial cancer V2.0 (22 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - vulva cancer V1.0 (20 kB) Feb 2013
Head, Neck & Endocrine
Protocol - Oral cavity v2.1 (1.2 MB) Dec 2019
Protocol - Odontogenic v1.0 (857 kB) Dec 2019
Protocol - Nodal excisions v1.0 (1.6 MB) Dec 2019
Protocol - Larynx v1.0 (1 MB) Dec 2019
Protocol - Ear v1.0 (938 kB) Dec 2019
Protocol - Nasal cavity v1.0 (748 kB) Dec 2019
Protocol - Nasopharynx v1.0 (1004 kB) Dec 2019
Protocol - adrenal gland tumours v1.0 (785 kB) Nov 2013
Protocol - malignant salivary gland neoplasms v2.1 (818 kB) Jun 2019
Protocol - thyroid cancer v1.0 (926 kB) Mar 2011
Protocol - mucosal melanoma v1.0 (713 kB) Jun 2019
Guide - Oral cavity v2.1 (204 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - Odontogenic v1.0 (152 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - Nodal excisions v1.0 (180 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - Larynx v1.0 (160 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - Ear v1.0 (158 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - Nasal cavity v1.0 (156 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - Nasopharynx v1.0 (187 kB) Dec 2019
Guide - adrenal gland tumours v1.0 (213 kB) Nov 2013
Guide - malignant salivary gland neoplasms v2 (235 kB) Jun 2019
Guide - thyroid cancer V1.0 (192 kB) Mar 2011
Guide - mucosal melanoma v1 (217 kB) Jun 2019
Proforma - Oral cavity v2.1 (233 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - Odontogenic v1.0 (170 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - Nodal excisions v1.0 (212 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - Larynx v1.0 (207 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - Ear v1.0 (187 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - Nasal cavity v1.0 (199 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - Nasopharynx v1.0 (205 kB) Dec 2019
Proforma - adrenal gland tumours V1.0 (196 kB) Nov 2013
Proforma - malignant salivary gland neoplasms v2 (218 kB) Jun 2019
Proforma - thyroid cancer V1.0 (178 kB) Mar 2011
Proforma - mucosal melanoma v1 (245 kB) Jun 2019
Request - Oral cavity v2.0 (163 kB) Dec 2019
Request - Odontogenic v1.0 (174 kB) Dec 2019
Request - Nodal excisions v1.0 (159 kB) Dec 2019
Request - Larynx v1.0 (154 kB) Dec 2019
Request - Ear v1.0 (153 kB) Dec 2019
Request - Nasal cavity v1.0 (129 kB) Dec 2019
Request - Nasopharynx v1.0 (334 kB) Dec 2019
Request - adrenal gland tumours V1.0 (104 kB) Nov 2013
Request - malignant salivary gland neoplasms v2 (163 kB) Jun 2019
Request - thyroid cancer V1.0 (132 kB) Mar 2011
Request - mucosal melanoma v1 (158 kB) Jun 2019
Typist template - Oral cavity v2.0 (22 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - Odontogenic v1.0 (21 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - Nodal excisions v1.0 (21 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - Larynx v1.0 (21 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - Ear v1.0 (21 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - Nasal cavity v1.0 (21 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - Nasopharynx v1.0 (21 kB) Dec 2019
Typist template - adrenal gland tumours 1 (21 kB) Nov 2013
Typist template - malignant salivary gland neoplasms v2 (20 kB) Jun 2019
Typist template - thyroid cancer V1.0 (17.7 kB) Mar 2011
Typist template - mucosal melanoma v1 (20 kB) Jun 2019
Haematopoietic & Lymphoid Tumours
Protocol - bone marrow specimen v1.1 (355 kB) Oct 2014
Protocol - haematopoietic & lymphoid tissue v1.3 (186 kB) Feb 2010
Guide - bone marrow specimen 1 (284 kB) Oct 2014
Guide - haematopoietic & lymphoid tumours V1.4 (166 kB) Feb 2010
Proforma - bone marrow specimen 1.0 (286 kB) Oct 2014
Proforma - haematopoietic & lymphoid tumours V1.0 (140 kB) Feb 2010
Request - bone marrow specimen 1 (159 kB) Oct 2014
Request - haematopoietic & lymphoid tumours V1.0 (121 kB) Feb 2010
Typist template - bone marrow specimen 1 (24 kB) Oct 2014
Typist template - haematopoietic & lymphoid tumours V1.0 (17.4 kB) Feb 2010
Neurological
Protocol - CNS tumours v1.1 (251 kB) Mar 2011
Guide - CNS tumours V1.1 (158 kB) Mar 2011
Proforma - CNS tumours V1.0 (157 kB) Mar 2011
Request - CNS tumours V1.0 (123 kB) Mar 2011
Typist template - CNS tumours V1.0 (16.3 kB) Mar 2011
Pulmonary and Mediastinum
Protocol - lung cancer v2.0 (716 kB) Aug 2013
Protocol - mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum v1.0 (846 kB) Jul 2016
Protocol - thymic epithelial tumours v1.0 (1.2 MB) Jul 2016
Protocol - tumours of the heart, pericardium and great vessels v1.0 (815 kB) Jul 2016
Guide - lung cancer V2.0 (221 kB) Aug 2013
Guide - mesothelioma biopsy (211 kB) Jul 2016
Guide - mesothelioma resections (262 kB) Jul 2016
Guide - thymic epithelial tumours (267 kB) Jul 2016
Guide - tumours of the heart (258 kB) Jul 2016
Proforma - lung cancer V2.0 (234 kB) Aug 2013
Proforma - mesothelioma biopsies (239 kB) Jul 2016
Proforma - mesothelioma resections (290 kB) Jul 2016
Proforma - thymic epithelial tumours (316 kB) Jul 2016
Proforma - tumours of the heart (277 kB) Jul 2016
Request - lung cancer V2.0 (115 kB) Aug 2013
Request - mesothelioma (198 kB) Jul 2016
Request - thymic epithelial tumours (195 kB) Jul 2016
Request - tumours of the heart (196 kB) Jul 2016
Typist template - lung cancer V2.0 (20 kB) Aug 2013
Typist template - mesothelioma (24 kB) Jul 2016
Typist template - thymic epithelial tumours (27 kB) Jul 2016
Typist template - tumours of the heart (25 kB) Jul 2016
Skin & Adnexal
Protocol - primary cutaneous melanoma v2.1 (469 kB) Mar 2014
Guide - primary cutaneous melanoma V2.0 (197 kB) Mar 2014
Proforma - primary cutaneous melanoma V2.0 (234 kB) Mar 2014
Request - primary cutaneous melanoma V2.0 (117 kB) Mar 2014
Typist template - primary cutaneous melanoma V2.0 (22 kB) Mar 2014

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11-Sep-2018
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