BRAF is a gene that gives instructions to make the BRAF protein, an enzyme that helps control how cells grow and divide. The BRAF protein is part of a signaling system in the cell known as the MAPK/ERK pathway, which normally functions as a switch to instruct cells when to grow and when to stop. In …
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What does inactive endometrium mean? Inactive endometrium is a term pathologists use to describe the appearance of endometrial tissue (the tissue found on the inside of the uterus) that is not under the influence of normal (physiological) levels of estrogen and progesterone or is altered due to exogenous factors. Is inactive endometrium normal? Inactive endometrium …
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In a pathology report, the term non-invasive means that a tumour or abnormal growth has not spread into the surrounding tissues. The abnormal cells are confined to the original layer of tissue where they started. This term is most often used to describe early-stage cancers or pre-cancerous conditions, but it also applies to all benign …
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Squamous cell carcinoma in situ is a non-invasive type of cancer made up of squamous cells. It is called non-invasive because the abnormal cells have not spread into any of the surrounding tissues. If left untreated, this condition can turn into a type of invasive cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma in situ …
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PAX5 is a protein that acts as a transcription factor, which means it helps control when certain genes are turned on or off in a cell. It plays an important role in the early development of the immune system by guiding immature blood cells to become B cells, a type of white blood cell that …
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Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue — also called MALT lymphoma, or EMZL — is a slow-growing (indolent) blood cancer that starts in B cells, the white blood cells that help the body fight infections. The word “extranodal” means that the lymphoma arises outside the lymph nodes, in the tissues of various organs. …
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Acute mucositis is inflammation of the mucosa — the tissue that lines the inside of the oral cavity. The oral cavity includes the lips, tongue, gums, inner cheeks (buccal mucosa), floor of the mouth, and palate. The word acute means the inflammation is active or ongoing. Another name for this condition is stomatitis. Acute mucositis …
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Gastric dysplasia (also called glandular intraepithelial neoplasia) is a precancerous change that affects the inner lining of the stomach. In gastric dysplasia, the cells that normally cover the stomach wall begin to look and behave abnormally, but they have not yet spread into deeper layers of the stomach. Gastric dysplasia can remain stable for years, …
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Chromogranin is a family of proteins primarily found in neuroendocrine cells—specialized cells that release hormones into the blood in response to signals from the nervous system. The main types are chromogranin A, B, and C. These proteins play a crucial role in the storage and release of hormones. Why do pathologists test for chromogranin? Pathologists …
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Sebaceous glands are small glands found in the skin that produce sebum, an oily substance that helps keep the skin and hair soft, flexible, and protected. These glands are distributed throughout the body but are most numerous on the face, scalp, upper chest, and back. Sebaceous glands are connected to hair follicles, and the sebum …
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