You may have received a pathology report from a doctor, right? Maybe after a biopsy, or after surgery, or after another test. When you get it home, or when you see it in your electronic medical record, it's normal to get confused by the words and numbers in it. You may be wondering what all these complicated words really mean. Today, let's talk about what a pathology report is and how to understand it in simple terms.
What is this pathology report?
Simply put, a pathology report is a written report by a pathologist who examines a tissue or fluid sample taken from your body and writes about what he or she saw. It also includes a diagnosis or recommendations based on how the cells and tissue in your sample look compared to normal healthy cells and tissue.
Imagine, if you have a small lump somewhere in your body, the doctor takes a small piece of it and sends it to the lab. The specialist doctor in that lab looks at this sample under a microscope and writes its details into a report. That's what's called a pathology report. From this report, we can find out:
- How the doctor took the sample, how it was prepared for testing (for example, was it placed in a preservative like formalin, or was it stained to make certain things more visible).
- How cells and tissues look under a microscope.
- How many different cells, proteins, and other substances are there, what they look like, and whether these are different from what the pathologist would normally expect.
- Whether the sample contains germs (such as bacteria, parasites, viruses, or fungi) or other foreign substances.
What is Pathology?
Pathology is the study of diseases, their causes, and how they affect our bodies. When a tissue or fluid sample is taken from your body, it is sent to a pathology laboratory for examination. There, pathologists examine these samples to try to find disease conditions. Pathology is used for things like:
- Diagnose , monitor , or screen for diseases and conditions.
- Help decide what treatment options are available.
- Give an idea of the prognosis of a disease, that is, what the disease will be like.
- Assess your risk of developing certain diseases (for example, genetic testing for gene mutations that can cause cancer) .
When will we receive a pathology report?
We often think that a pathology report is only received after a biopsy is done to look for cancer. That's true, but it's not the only way. For example, you may receive a pathology report for conditions like endometriosis , colon polyps , or any condition where a doctor takes a sample from you and a pathologist analyzes it. Here are some examples:
- Biopsy: Taking a piece of tissue from anywhere in the body for examination.
- Blood tests: Some special blood tests also produce reports like this.
- Colonoscopy: Samples taken during an examination of the large intestine.
- Endoscopy (EGD - Esophagogastroduodenoscopy): Samples taken during an examination of parts of the esophagus, stomach, etc.
- Cholecystectomy: Examination of the removed gallbladder.
- Genetic testing: Identifying certain genetic conditions.
- Laparoscopy: Samples taken from small incisions (for example, to diagnose endometriosis).
- Lumpectomy: Surgery to remove only a breast lump.
- Mastectomy: Surgery to remove the entire breast.
- Sputum culture: The process of looking for germs in a sputum sample.
- Stool tests: To look for germs or other things in stool.
- Nasopharyngeal swab: For example, like a Covid test.
- Throat culture: To look for throat infections.
- Urine tests: Look for germs or other things in the urine.
What does a pathology report contain?
Now let's look at what parts a pathology report typically contains. Not all reports contain all of these, but these are the most common ones.
1. Test Method (Procedure):
This refers to the procedure or test your doctor performed to obtain the sample sent to the lab. For example, something like 'Skin biopsy' or 'Colonoscopy with polyp removal'.
2. Gross description of the external appearance of the sample:
This is what the pathologist sees by looking at the sample with the naked eye (without a microscope). It describes the color, weight, size , and other visible characteristics of the sample. Think of a description like, 'A 2-centimeter-long, brown piece of tissue.'
3. Microscopic description:
Here's the important part. This describes how the cells and other parts of the sample look when magnified under a microscope. The pathologist can fix the tissue and fluids in a solution, such as formalin , and then examine them with special stains . This allows the parts of the cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens to be clearly identified. This is where things like whether the cells are 'normal', 'abnormal', or 'are there cancer cells' can be determined.
4. Margins:
This is especially important when removing a cancerous tumor. The 'margin' refers to the normal tissue surrounding the tumor. If it says 'clear' or ' negative margins', it means that there are no cancer cells at the edges of the sample. This means that the tumor has probably been completely removed. However, if it says 'positive margins' , it means that the cancer may not have been completely removed, and there may still be cancer cells left.
5. Stage and Grade:
This is also very important in cancer diagnosis. The 'stage' tells how far the cancer has spread from where it first started in the body, which is how severe the cancer is. The 'grade' describes how different the cancer cells look compared to normal healthy cells. The higher the grade, the more abnormal the cells are and the more likely the cancer is to spread.
6. Lymph nodes:
If lymph nodes have been taken and examined during a biopsy, if they are called 'positive' , that means the pathologist found cancer cells in those lymph nodes. If they are 'negative' , he or she only found normal cells.
7. Molecular test results:
These are the results of tests that look for genetic changes or mutations in cancer cells. These results are very helpful in deciding on treatments for certain types of cancer. For example, they can help determine whether a particular drug will work for that cancer or not.
8. Pathogens:
This section tells you if the sample contains bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. This is most often seen when stool samples or body fluid samples are tested.
9. Diagnosis:
This section is the summary of the entire report . It states the pathologist's final diagnosis based on all the features found in the sample. For example, something like ' Invasive Ductal Carcinoma ' or ' No malignancy seen '.
10. Recommendations:
If you have had a test like a colonoscopy, your doctor may recommend follow-up or when to have your next test.
How long does it take to receive a pathology report?
It can usually take a week or more to get a pathology report. Sometimes it comes sooner. Ask your doctor when to expect the results. But don't worry if it takes longer than expected. It doesn't necessarily mean your results are bad.
It's hard to wait for important results. It helps to find ways to keep your mind occupied during that time.
What if there is something unusual in the pathology report?
If the pathology report contains any unusual or unexpected results, your doctor will tell you what to do next. This will depend on what the pathologist found and the treatment options available.
Reading a pathology report can be like reading a map of an unfamiliar city. The words may seem strange. You may not know where to start or where to go. But your doctor can use that map to help you understand your diagnosis and plan your treatment options. Ask your doctor to explain your pathology results and how they affect you. Together, you can plan your journey forward.
The most important thing to keep in mind
A pathology report is a report that describes the results of a sample taken from your body. It can be difficult to understand the medical terms in this report. However, it can be very helpful for your doctor to diagnose your condition and choose the best treatment for you.
If you have any questions about the report or if there is anything you don't understand, don't be afraid to ask your doctor. He or she is the best person to explain this to you in simple terms. Remember, this report is just one important milestone in your health journey. Understand it, work with your doctor, and move forward.
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