CURRENT STATUS OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDIZATION OF NOMENCLATURE AND DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR PROLIFERATIVE LESIONS OF THE LIVER IN THE MOUSE

In 1993, the Society of Toxicologic Pathologists (STP) and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) established a Joint STP-ILSI Committee in aid of international harmonization of nomenclature and diagnostic criteria used in toxicologic pathology. The objective of the Committee's work is to develop standardized nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for proliferative and nonproliferative lesions in laboratory animals used in chemical toxicity/carcinogenicity studies so that they are accepted and used by toxicologic pathologists and regulatory agencies around the world. Since its establishment in 1993, the Joint STP-ILSI Committee has made significant progress in standardization for rat proliferative/nonproliferative lesions and also started the work on those in the mouse. An initial draft outline of hepatic proliferative lesions in mice was presented at the 14th International Symposium of the STP in June 1995, and the development of standardized nomenclature and diagnostic criteria is currently underway. The Committee is planning to finalize this work on mouse proliferative lesions in the liver as well as those in other organ systems by April 1997. After reaching consensus, the final manuscript will be used both for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) publication, “International Classification of Rodent Tumours, Part II, The Mouse, ” and the STP “Guides on Standardized System of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria” (SSNDC).