A stoma is a surgically created opening that connects an internal organ to the outside of the body. It allows air, fluid, or waste to leave the body in a new way when the normal pathway is blocked, damaged, or removed. A stoma may be temporary or permanent, depending on the medical condition. When a …
Read More »
A sarcoma is a type of cancer that starts in the body’s connective tissues. These tissues support and hold the body together and include bone, muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, and fibrous tissue (the tissue that gives structure and strength to organs). Because connective tissue is found throughout the body, sarcomas can begin almost anywhere. …
Read More »
The progesterone receptor (PR) is a special type of protein found inside certain cells in the body. It belongs to a group of proteins called nuclear hormone receptors, which control how cells respond to hormones. Progesterone receptors specifically respond to the hormone progesterone, which plays a vital role in reproductive health, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and …
Read More »
In pathology, poorly differentiated is a term used to describe how cancer cells look under a microscope. When cells are poorly differentiated, they appear very different from normal cells in the body. Normal cells are well-organized and have specific structures, but poorly differentiated cells lose these typical features, making it hard to tell where they …
Read More »
A prognosis is a doctor’s best estimate of how a disease might progress and your likelihood of recovery. Doctors commonly discuss prognosis with patients after diagnosing cancer, although the term can apply to any medical condition. If a disease is expected to respond well to treatment and is likely to be cured, it’s usually described …
Read More »
In pathology, the term precursor is used to describe any non-cancerous condition that has the potential to turn into cancer over time. Precursor diseases can be caused by viruses, genetic changes, or environmental factors such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption. The chance that a precursor will eventually turn into cancer depends on many factors …
Read More »
Perineural invasion (PNI) is used to describe tumour cells in the space around a nerve. It is usually only seen in malignant (cancerous) tumours and used by pathologists as evidence that a tumour is malignant. PNI is important because the tumour cells can use the nerve to spread into surrounding tissues. This increases the risk …
Read More »
Definition: Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell (WBC) and part of the body’s immune system. They are part of a group of immune cells called lymphocytes. Plasma cells produce proteins called immunoglobulins (also known as antibodies) that protect our body by sticking to bacteria and viruses. Antibodies can also stick to abnormal …
Read More »
A polyp is an abnormal growth of tissue that sticks out from the surface into a hollow space or body cavity. Polyps can form almost anywhere in the body, but they’re especially common in the colon, stomach, nasal cavity, sinuses (sinonasal area), and uterus. Most polyps are harmless (benign) growths; however, some can be precancerous, …
Read More »
In pathology, the term pleomorphic is used to describe cells that appear very different from each other when viewed under a microscope. Pleomorphic cells vary significantly in size, shape, and colour. Although pathologists may describe the whole cell as pleomorphic, they usually focus on the appearance of the cell’s nucleus (the part containing genetic material …
Read More »
