Defining a Neoplasm Flashcards
define histopathology
study of pathology of tissues
define cytology
analysis of individual cells
define chemical pathology
chemical analysis of tissues, blood and urine
what is looked at when defining a neoplasm?
the tissue/cell architecture, different features are identified such as nucleus and mitosis function. differentiation is also looked at: is the degree the cell resembles normal
how does pathology help with defining a neoplasm
distinguishes benign and malignant growths, also helps define the type of cancer
what is the role of cellular pathology in defining a neoplasm
distinguishing benign and malignant cells and to determine the cellular origin of a cancer (histogenesis)
why is knowing the histogenesis important?
treatments may differ based on the cellular origin. i.e smoking causes epithelium cancers where as asbestos exposure can cause mesothelium cancers
how can cellular patho help with monitoring the completeness of surgeries?
cancers have poorly defined margins so it can be difficult to know how much of the tissue should be removed
where does histopathology come into defining a neoplasm?
it is the routine method for lump characterisation macroscopically or microscopically
what area may be examined in the case of a malignant invasive cancer?
lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread
what advantage has cytology over histopath
less invasive
what benefit is immunohistochemistry when defining a neoplasm
can tell pathologists the exact type of cancer by looking for specific tumour markers in cancer cells
these markers are identified by using antibodies that bind to antigens- can tell where the cancer started, the type of cell it began in, and whether it is likely to grow slowly or quickly
