A vascular lesion is an abnormal growth made mostly of blood vessels or the cells that line them. Doctors call these cells endothelial cells. The term covers many different conditions. Some are normal healing responses, some are present from birth, some are noncancerous tumors, and a few are cancers. Vascular lesions can occur anywhere in …
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An intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a type of non-invasive pancreatic tumor. It starts from the cells that line the ducts, the small channels that carry digestive fluids from the pancreas into the intestine. These cells produce a thick, sticky substance called mucin. An IPMN is not cancer, but it is considered precancerous, which …
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Basal cell adenocarcinoma is a rare type of cancer that starts in the salivary glands — the glands that make saliva. It is called “basal cell” because the tumor cells resemble the basal cells normally found at the base of salivary gland ducts. Most basal cell adenocarcinomas are low grade and grow slowly. They are …
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T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a type of blood cancer that starts from immature T cells, a type of white blood cell that normally helps control the immune response and fight viruses. These immature, abnormal cells are called lymphoblasts. In T-ALL, the lymphoblasts accumulate in the bone marrow and blood, crowding out normal blood …
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The tumor bed is the area of the body where a tumor used to be. Pathologists use the term most often after treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation, has shrunk or destroyed a tumor. By examining the tumor bed, the pathologist can tell how well the treatment worked. This article explains what the tumor bed …
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What is focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver? Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a noncancerous type of growth in the liver. It is much more common in young women and it rarely occurs in men or children. What causes focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver? At the present time, we do not completely understand what …
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What is next-generation sequencing? Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a way of finding out the order of the letters in DNA or RNA, the genetic material inside our cells. DNA and RNA are made of four different letters: A, C, G, and T for DNA, and A, C, G, and U for RNA. The order of …
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A hepatocyte is a type of cell found in the liver. They are very active and versatile cells that help to keep the body healthy and balanced. Hepatocytes can also regenerate when they are damaged or lost. The functions of a hepatocyte include: Making proteins needed for blood clotting, transporting substances, and fighting infections. Storing carbohydrates …
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Cyclin D1 is part of a family of proteins called cyclins. All cyclins are cell cycle regulators, meaning they help determine when a cell can divide (to create two new cells). Cyclins can be further broken down into multiple families and subtypes. These all work in slightly different ways, but they all push cells to …
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SMA stands for smooth muscle actin, a type of protein found inside certain cells in the body. It plays an important role in helping cells move and maintain their shape. There are different types of actin proteins, but alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is the type most commonly used in pathology testing. Pathologists use SMA …
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