Neuroendocrine cells are specialized cells found throughout the body that share features of both nerve cells (neurons) and hormone-producing cells (endocrine cells). These cells help regulate important body functions by releasing hormones in response to signals from the nervous system. Neuroendocrine cells are found in many different organs, including the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and …
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The TNM staging system is an internationally recognized way to describe how far cancer has developed and spread. It was created by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). This system uses detailed information about three key factors: Tumour (T): The size of the primary tumour and how far it has grown into surrounding tissue. …
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Osteochondroma is the most common non-cancerous type of bone tumour. The name is made up of three parts that come from Greek words – “osteo-“meaning bone, “chondro-” meaning cartilage, and “-oma” which describes an abnormal growth. As the name suggests, the tumour is made up of both bone and cartilage. Most osteochondromas develop in a …
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In pathology, diffuse describes a change or finding that is spread throughout the tissue examined, rather than being limited to one small area. A diffuse change can be seen when a pathologist looks at the tissue by eye (called the gross examination) or under the microscope. The opposite of diffuse is focal, which describes a …
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In pathology, the term “focal” refers to something that is localized or limited to a specific area or spot, rather than being diffusely spread out or affecting a large area of tissue. When used to describe disease processes, abnormalities, or lesions, “focal” indicates that the changes or effects are confined to one or relatively small, …
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In pathology, distal is a location word. It describes a part of the body, an organ, or a tissue sample that is farther away from a reference point. Depending on what is being described, that reference point is either the center of the body or the place where a structure begins. The opposite of distal …
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In pathology, the term proximal describes the part of a tissue or organ closest to the center (midline) of the body. Doctors and pathologists use this term to explain the location of tumours, lesions, or specific areas within an organ. For example, the colon (large intestine) is a long tube divided into six sections: the …
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The phrase negative for malignancy means that no cancer cells were seen when the tissue or cell sample was examined under the microscope. In pathology, malignant means cancerous, so “negative for malignancy” means the sample shows no signs of cancer. This is a reassuring result. It is still worth understanding what it does and does not mean, …
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The phrase positive for malignancy means that cancer cells were seen in the tissue or cell sample when it was examined under the microscope. In pathology, the term malignant is used to describe cancer, and positive means that something—in this case, cancer—was found. This phrase is commonly used in small tissue samples, such as core …
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In a pathology report, the word inadequate means that the sample taken was not good enough to provide a reliable diagnosis. This does not mean that something is necessarily wrong with the patient. Instead, it means that the pathologist did not have enough cells or tissue, or the material was too damaged, to make a …
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