Mucosal melanoma of the oral cavity is a rare cancer that starts from melanocytes, the cells that produce the brown pigment called melanin. Small numbers of melanocytes are normally present in the epithelium, the thin surface lining of the mouth. When these cells become malignant and grow into a tumor, the result is mucosal melanoma. …
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SDH-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare and distinct subtype of gastrointestinal stromal tumor that almost always develops in the stomach. Like other GISTs, it arises from specialized cells in the wall of the digestive tract that help regulate gut movement. What sets this tumor apart is that it is caused by a problem …
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The Banff score is a standardized system used to describe findings in a kidney transplant biopsy. It is part of the Banff Classification, an international consensus system that enables transplant teams worldwide to interpret biopsy results in a consistent and meaningful way. The Banff score is not a single number. Instead, it is made up …
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Epithelioid angiomyolipoma is a rare kidney tumor and an uncommon type of angiomyolipoma. A classic angiomyolipoma is a noncancerous tumor made of a mixture of fat, muscle, and blood vessels. Epithelioid angiomyolipoma is different: it is built mostly from a single kind of cell, the epithelioid cell, which makes up at least 80% of the …
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SDHB stands for succinate dehydrogenase subunit B, which is a protein made by cells to help produce energy. It is part of a larger group of proteins called the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex, which works inside cells to convert nutrients into usable energy. SDHB itself is not a disease. Instead, it is a normal protein …
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Mallory-Denk bodies are abnormal clumps of protein found inside liver cells called hepatocytes. These protein clumps form when liver cells are injured and can no longer process or dispose of specific structural proteins normally. Mallory–Denk bodies are not a disease by themselves. Instead, they are a microscopic finding that tells pathologists the liver has been …
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Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder in which a specific type of immune cell grows and builds up in tissues where it does not normally belong. These abnormal cells resemble Langerhans cells, immune cells that normally help respond to infection and inflammation. In Langerhans cell histiocytosis, the cells proliferate clonally (non-randomly) and form …
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CIC-DUX4 sarcoma is a rare, aggressive type of soft tissue cancer. It belongs to a group of tumours called undifferentiated round cell sarcomas, meaning the cancer cells look very immature and do not clearly resemble a normal tissue type under the microscope. Most cases are driven by a specific genetic change involving the CIC gene, …
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TERT is a gene that provides instructions for making part of an enzyme called telomerase. Telomerase helps maintain structures called telomeres, which protect the ends of chromosomes. TERT is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in a tumour, such as a gene change, that helps doctors understand how a cancer behaves and …
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Immunophenotyping is a laboratory method used to identify and classify cells based on the proteins they express on their surface or inside the cell. These proteins act like molecular “name tags” that help pathologists determine what type of cell is present, where it came from, and whether it is normal or abnormal. Immunophenotyping is most …
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