A translocation is a type of genetic change where a piece of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to a different chromosome. Chromosomes are structures inside your cells that carry DNA, the instructions your body uses to grow, repair itself, and function properly. When pieces of chromosomes switch places, they can create new combinations of …
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Matted lymph nodes are groups of lymph nodes that have become stuck together, forming a single mass. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are part of the immune system. They help the body fight infections by filtering out harmful substances. Normally, lymph nodes are separate from one another, but in certain conditions, they can …
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Primary cutaneous follicle centre lymphoma is a type of cancer called a lymphoma that starts in the skin. It develops from B cells, a type of white blood cell that normally helps the immune system fight infection. The word “primary” means the lymphoma begins in the skin rather than spreading there from elsewhere, and at …
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Mycosis fungoides is a type of cancer called lymphoma that starts in the skin. A lymphoma is a cancer of lymphocytes, the white blood cells that help protect the body from infection. In mycosis fungoides, the cancerous cells are a type of lymphocyte called T cells, which build up in the skin and cause rashes, …
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In a molecular pathology report, the word rearrangement refers to a change in the DNA structure within a cell. DNA is usually organized into long strands called chromosomes, each containing many genes. A rearrangement happens when a piece of a chromosome breaks off and attaches somewhere else, either on the same chromosome or another chromosome. …
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A mutation is a change in a gene, which is a piece of DNA that provides instructions for how a cell should function. In a molecular pathology report, the word “mutation” means that there has been a genetic change in the tumour’s DNA. Some mutations are harmless, while others can contribute to cancer development or …
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In a molecular pathology report, the word fusion refers to a specific genetic change in which two different genes that are normally separate join together. This joining creates a new, hybrid gene that produces an abnormal protein. These fusion events happen inside the cancer cells and are not something a person is born with. Because …
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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow — the soft tissue inside bones that makes blood cells. In acute myeloid leukemia, immature blood cells called blasts grow too quickly and do not develop into normal, working blood cells. As blasts accumulate, they crowd out healthy cells, …
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CD117 (also known as c-kit or KIT) is a protein found on the surface of certain normal and abnormal cells. It acts like an antenna — receiving signals from the surrounding environment that tell the cell to grow, divide, and survive. In pathology, CD117 is used as an immunohistochemical (IHC) marker, meaning it is detected …
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Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare, slow-growing blood cancer that starts in B cells — the white blood cells that help the body fight infections. It belongs to the Hodgkin lymphoma family but differs fundamentally from the more common type, classic Hodgkin lymphoma, in its cell biology, behavior, and treatment. Compared with classic …
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