Immunohistochemistry, often shortened to IHC, is a test that shows whether cells in a tissue sample make a specific protein. The protein appears brown or red on the glass slide wherever it is present. Pathologists use immunohistochemistry to identify cell types in a sample and see where a cancer started. They also use it to …
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An imaging report describes images taken inside your body, such as a mammogram, CT scan, or MRI. A pathology report describes tissue or cells that were removed from your body and examined under a microscope. Both reports often appear in the same patient portal, and both can use words like “mass” or “suspicious.” They answer …
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The basement membrane is a very thin sheet of tissue that sits under the epithelium, the layer of cells that lines the skin and the inside of organs. It acts like a foundation, holding the lining cells in place and separating them from the tissue below. Pathologists pay close attention to the basement membrane because …
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Sarcoidosis is a disease in which the immune system forms many small clusters of inflammatory cells, called granulomas, in one or more organs. It most often affects the lungs and the lymph nodes in the chest, but it can also involve the skin, eyes, heart, liver, and other organs. Sarcoidosis is not cancer and is …
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A pathologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses disease by examining tissue, cells, and body fluids. When doctors remove tissue or cells from your body for testing, a pathologist usually interprets the results. Most patients never meet their pathologist, yet the pathologist’s report often determines the diagnosis. It also shapes what treatment your care team …
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Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs that filter tissue fluid and help the body fight infection. Cancer cells can travel through lymphatic channels and settle in nearby lymph nodes. For that reason, lymph nodes are often removed during cancer surgery and examined by a pathologist. A lymph node may also be removed on its own …
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Adrenal cortical nodular disease is a noncancerous condition in which one or more small, round growths called nodules form in the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex is the outer layer of the adrenal gland, and each kidney has one adrenal gland on top. The cortex makes cortisol, a hormone that helps the body handle stress …
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A surgical margin is the edge of the tissue removed during an operation. When a pathologist examines that tissue, a key question is whether any tumor reaches the edge. The answer appears in the margins section of your pathology report, and it helps your care team decide whether more treatment is needed. Surgical margins are …
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Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is a rare, fast-growing cancer. It starts in cells with features of neuroendocrine cells, which can release hormones into the blood. Doctors often call it sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma. Two main types exist: small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma is a …
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DEK::AFF2 squamous cell carcinoma is a rare type of squamous cell carcinoma that starts most often in the nasal cavity or the sinuses. It is defined by a change in which two genes, called DEK and AFF2, are joined together inside the tumor cells. Your report may call this tumor DEK::AFF2 carcinoma or nonkeratinizing squamous …
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