A histopathology report describes the findings of a specialist known as apathologist.
What Is Histopathology?
In clinical practice, histopathology refers to the examination of tissues obtained bybiopsyor the surgical removal of an organ.
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Histopathology is not the same thing ascytopathologywhich looks at individual cells.
With histopathology, the pathologist not only evaluates cell structure but also how cells are grouped.
Why Is Histopathology Important?
Without histopathology, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to diagnose many diseases.
It is essential to the diagnosis of many conditions, chief of which includescancer.
It can help monitor fororgan rejectionaftertransplant surgeryor check for the response to treatment ofinflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Histopathology also contributes to advances in our understanding of diseases, leading to the development of new treatments.
How Is Histopathology Performed?
Pathologists and their team of laboratory professionals, such as histology technologists and technicians, perform histopathology.
They process and cut tissue into very thin layers called sections.
Then, they stain and examine it with a microscope.
Using a microscope, they can observe and document the tissue’s details.
Frozen sections are examined immediately in the lab to provide a result within about 20 minutes.
The use of frozen sections during surgery depends on the bang out of cancer being removed and other factors.
Components of a Histopathology Report
Histopathology reports on surgical specimens can be complex.
Knowing which components are going to be included in your report may help you prepare for your appointment.
Prognosis is the prediction or estimate of survival or recovery from a disease.
Prognostic indicators may include:
Grading systemsdiffer depending on the kind of cancer.
In general, the cells are scored based on how abnormal they appear under the microscope.
The more abnormal the cells look, the higher the grade.
For example, Grade 1 tumors appear nearly normal, whereas Grade 4 tumors reflect more abnormalities.
Sometimes inserted or deleted genes correlate to prognosis.
Genetic changes present in a cancer tissue sample may be hereditary or acquired.
For instance, in CLL, a specific piece of a chromosome (17p) is lost.
Along with the missing chromosome, a gene that helps suppress cancer is often lost.
The 17p deletion is found in about 5% to 10% of people with CLL overall.
The 17p deletion CLL is a form of CLL that is harder to treat with conventional chemotherapy.
Putting It Together
Pathologists may use additional pathology techniques to diagnose cancer.
For example, molecular techniques look at proteins, receptors, and genes, which help identify cancer subtypes.
Summary
Histopathology is the study of tissue to look for disease.
Pathologists and their team of lab professionals perform histopathology in a lab.
They examine tissue under a microscope and develop a report of their findings.
Histopathology reports can include descriptions of the tissue, diagnosis, and prognosis.
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Royal College of Pathologists.Histopathology.
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College of American Pathologists.How to read your pathology report.
Schafer KA, Eighmy J, Fikes JD, et al.Use of severity grades to characterize histopathologic changes.Toxicol Pathol.
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