Pathologists use the term desmoplastic to describe tissue that shows an abnormal response to the presence of cancer cells. Specifically, a desmoplastic reaction occurs when the supportive tissue around cancer cells, called stroma, becomes dense, thickened, and scar-like. This reaction is a common feature seen in malignant (cancerous) tumors. Why is a desmoplastic reaction important? Identifying a …
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A neuroendocrine neoplasm is a type of cancer that develops from specialized neuroendocrine cells. These cells are unique because they share characteristics of both nerve cells and hormone-producing (endocrine) cells. Neuroendocrine neoplasms can develop anywhere in the body where neuroendocrine cells normally reside, including the lungs, stomach, intestines, pancreas, and various glands. The normal function …
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In pathology, a contaminant refers to tissue or cells that mistakenly become included within a patient’s tissue sample during the laboratory process. Unlike a floater, which accidentally appears only on a microscope slide, a contaminant is embedded directly into the patient’s paraffin tissue block. As a result, contaminants repeatedly appear each time additional slides (recuts) …
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In pathology, a floater refers to a small piece of tissue or cells seen on a microscope slide that does not belong to the patient’s original specimen. Floaters typically occur by accident during the preparation of slides in the pathology laboratory. For example, they can happen when tiny fragments of tissue from one sample inadvertently …
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In pathology, the term invasive is used to describe cancer cells that have spread from their original location into surrounding healthy tissues. When a tumor is described as invasive, it means that the cancer cells have moved beyond their normal boundaries, breaking through natural barriers to invade nearby tissues and structures. The term invasive is …
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Papillomatous is a term pathologists use to describe tissue characterized by small, finger-like projections or growths. It is a descriptive term often used for small biopsy samples where a more definitive diagnosis cannot be made. This growth pattern can be observed in various parts of the body, including the skin, mouth, throat, and internal organs. Does papillomatous …
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A pituitary adenoma is a benign (noncancerous) tumor that develops from specialized cells in the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized structure located at the base of the brain behind the nose and is sometimes called the “master gland” because it controls several hormone-producing glands in the body. Pituitary adenomas can affect …
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The nodal stage (N stage) describes whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped parts of the immune system that help filter harmful substances. They are often one of the first places cancer cells travel after leaving the original (primary) tumor. The nodal stage is a key part of the …
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The tumor stage (T stage) describes the size of the primary tumor and how far it has grown into nearby tissues. It is one part of a more extensive pathologic staging system that describes how far the cancer has spread in the body. The tumor stage focuses only on the tumor itself – it does …
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The mitotic rate describes how many cells in a tumour are actively dividing. When cells divide, they create new cells. This is a normal process in healthy tissue, but in a tumour, a high number of dividing cells can be a sign that the tumour is growing quickly. In a pathology report, the mitotic rate …
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