[Pathologists and the French network of expertise on rare cancers ENT: The REFCORpath]

Abstract

Aerodigestive tract tumors are very diverse, either in terms of location, or histologically. Also, this heterogeneity poses particular problems for the histological diagnosis but also for the establishment of the most appropriate treatment. Thus, the network REFCOR (réseau d'expertise français sur les cancers ORL rares/French expert network on rare ENT cancers) was created to better understand these issues, by proposing an epidemiological and diagnostic approach with research collaborations. This network is dedicated to all primary malignant tumors of the salivary glands, ear, nasal cavity and sinuses and all head and neck malignancies other than conventional squamous cell carcinoma. The REFCORpath network consists of expert pathologists and offers, through a network of scanned images, a second opinion or even a third.

Keywords: Cancer rare; Diagnostic; Expert; Expertise; Head and neck; Management; Network; ORL; Prise en charge; Rare tumor; Réseau.