How we can detect cancer with the help of biopsy and histopathological studies?
How we can detect cancer with the help of biopsy and histopathological studies?
A histopathology report describes the tissue that has been sent for examination and the features of what the cancer looks like under the microscope. A histopathology report is sometimes called a biopsy report or a pathology report.
The Histopathology Report The specialist doctor who does the examination under the microscope is called a Pathologist. The tissue that is studied comes from a biopsy or surgical procedure whereby a sample of the suspect tissue is selected and sent to the laboratory. It is then processed and cut into very thin layers (called sections), stained and examined under microscopes to characterize the details of the cells in the tissue. For some diseases, the surgeon can get a sample of the tissue interpreted very quickly through the use of frozen sections.
Components of the Report Histopathology reports on surgical cancer specimens are getting more and more complex. They may include:
- The microscopic appearance of the involved tissue
- Special stains
- Molecular techniques
- Other tests
Molecular techniques refer to the ability to analyze cells and tissues at the molecular level, which is at the level of proteins, receptors, and the genes that code for these things.
Interpreting the Report Many of the findings from such examination of the tissues are linked to prognosis. Prognostic indicators may include tumor grade and extent of spread, and whether or not the cancer was removed with a margin of healthy cells surrounding it, or if there is evidence the cancer has spread beyond what was removed.
Grading systems differ depending on the kind of cancer being graded, but generally the cells are scored based on how abnormal they appear under the microscope, with Grade 1 tumors being more normal looking and Grade 4 tumors reflecting more abnormalities. A high-grade tumor, then, is generally one in which the cells have more abnormalities. Grading is not the same as staging. Staging has more to do with where the cancer is found in the body and how far it has spread.
A histopathology report describes the tissue that has been sent for examination and the features of what the cancer looks like under the microscope. A histopathology report is sometimes called a biopsy report or a pathology report.
The Histopathology Report
The specialist doctor who does the examination under the microscope is called a Pathologist. The tissue that is studied comes from a biopsy or surgical procedure whereby a sample of the suspect tissue is selected and sent to the laboratory. It is then processed and cut into very thin layers (called sections), stained and examined under microscopes to characterize the details of the cells in the tissue. For some diseases, the surgeon can get a sample of the tissue interpreted very quickly through the use of frozen sections.
Histopathology reports on surgical cancer specimens are getting more and more complex. They may include:
- The microscopic appearance of the involved tissue
- Special stains
- Molecular techniques
- Other tests
Molecular techniques refer to the ability to analyze cells and tissues at the molecular level, which is at the level of proteins, receptors, and the genes that code for these things.
Interpreting the Report
Many of the findings from such examination of the tissues are linked to prognosis. Prognostic indicators may include tumor grade and extent of spread, and whether or not the cancer was removed with a margin of healthy cells surrounding it, or if there is evidence the cancer has spread beyond what was removed.
Grading systems differ depending on the kind of cancer being graded, but generally the cells are scored based on how abnormal they appear under the microscope, with Grade 1 tumors being more normal looking and Grade 4 tumors reflecting more abnormalities. A high-grade tumor, then, is generally one in which the cells have more abnormalities. Grading is not the same as staging. Staging has more to do with where the cancer is found in the body and how far it has spread.
