CMV esophagitis is an infection of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach, caused by a virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV). The infection damages the lining of the esophagus and produces inflammation, usually in the form of deep ulcers. CMV belongs to the herpesvirus family, and it …
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A malignant spindle cell neoplasm is a type of cancer made up of spindle-shaped cells. Under the microscope, these cells look long and narrow, similar to the shape of a spindle (a pointed rod used for spinning thread). This diagnosis describes how the cells look under the microscope but does not identify the exact type …
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ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a type of cancer that starts in T cells, which are specialized white blood cells that normally help the body fight infections. Because it develops from immune cells, it is classified as a non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This disease most often involves lymph nodes, but it can also appear …
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NRAS is a gene that provides instructions for making a protein involved in cell signaling, specifically in controlling cell growth and division. Like other genes in the RAS family, NRAS plays a role in regulating normal cell function. However, when mutations occur in the NRAS gene, the protein it encodes can become overactive, leading to …
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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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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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