CD138 (also known as syndecan-1) is a protein found on the surface of plasma cells — a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies, which are proteins the immune system uses to fight infections. CD138 is also found on the surface of epithelial cells, which are the cells that line the inner surfaces of …
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HPV-associated dysplasia of the larynx is a precancerous change in the lining of the voice box caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Dysplasia means the squamous cells lining the larynx have started to grow and mature abnormally. It is not cancer, but over time it can develop into a type of laryngeal cancer …
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Follicular subtype of papillary thyroid carcinoma is a type of thyroid cancer. It is one of several subtypes of papillary thyroid carcinoma, the most common thyroid cancer overall. Under the microscope, this tumor combines two features: the cells are arranged in small round structures called follicles (the same growth pattern seen in normal thyroid tissue …
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Oncocytic carcinoma of the thyroid gland is a rare type of thyroid cancer. It arises from follicular cells, the cells in the thyroid gland that normally produce thyroid hormone. The tumor is composed mostly of oncocytic cells, a type of cell that contains numerous energy-producing structures called mitochondria and has a distinctive bright pink appearance under the microscope. …
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In pathology, dedifferentiation describes a process where mature, specialized cells change back (revert) to a less specialized, more primitive form. This is commonly seen in cancer, where tumour cells that were initially more mature and less aggressive become less mature and more aggressive. When cells become dedifferentiated, they tend to grow more rapidly and lose …
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Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor that starts in the back of the nose and the nasopharynx, the area behind the nasal cavity where the nose connects to the throat. It is made up of many blood vessels mixed with fibrous supporting tissue, which is where its name comes from: “angio” refers to blood …
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Amyloid is an abnormal protein that folds into the wrong shape and accumulates in body tissues as dense, insoluble deposits. In healthy cells, proteins fold correctly and perform their normal functions. In some diseases, certain proteins misfold and clump together into a distinctive structure — one that the body cannot easily break down or clear …
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A neck dissection is a surgical procedure involving the removal of lymph nodes and surrounding tissue from the neck. It is primarily performed to treat or prevent the spread of cancer, particularly head and neck cancers, by removing potentially affected lymphatic tissue. What is the purpose of a neck dissection? The primary purpose of a …
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An adenomatoid nodule is a benign (noncancerous) growth that develops in the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck that produces hormones to regulate metabolism. Adenomatoid nodules are the most common type of thyroid nodule and are often part of a broader condition called follicular nodular disease, in …
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A blue nevus is a common, noncancerous (benign) skin growth made up of cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells in the skin that make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. A blue nevus gets its distinctive blue or blue-gray color from melanin that sits deep in the dermis (the layer of skin …
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