Blog
Transcoelomic spread of tumour and ‘omental cake’
Clinical notes: 80 yo female presents with large bowel obstruction, 12 months after a hysterectomy for endometrial carcinoma. Macroscopic: A sheet of omental adopse tissue with a central broad, grey, firm plaque 50 x 25mm. Microscopic: The omemental adipose tissue shows irregular, intersecting bands of fibrous tissue, within which are embedded angular to elongate glands [...]
Education ~ Urology ~ Let’s talk about margins
Aims: Discuss and illustrate surgical margins, using radical prostatectomy specimen as an example. Discuss the difference between surgical and pathological margins Discussion: General Surgical margins are a contentious issue and ‘clear margins’ mean different things to a surgeon depending on the organ or disease being treated; in breast cancer, 10 mm is considered clearance while [...]
Education ~ Medical student subjects: The liver
THE LIVER: Aim To understand the basic anatomy and function of the liver To understand some of the common disease processes of the liver Discussion The liver is the highly complex metabolic engine of our body. It shares this duty with several other organs but is relatively unique in its ability to rapidly regenerate. Can you [...]
Education ~ Medical student subjects: Skin
Skin and common skin cancers Aim: Understand the structure and function of skin Understand the common tumours of the epidermis Discussion: Structure: Skin is made up of three discrete layers. The epidermis is formed by keratinocytes, which in cross section look like bricks in a brick wall (see picture below). The basal cells of this [...]
Education ~ Pathology case study 3
The following review of two separate cases illustrates a common kidney tumour. Both were small incidental findings discovered on CT. Both lesions originate around the capsule. Case 1 A51y.o. female underwent a partial nephrectomy. The specimen contained a circumscribed, pale grey nodule, 14mm in diameter that was clear of all margins. Case 2 [...]
Education ~ Medical student subjects: Immunology
Immunology: A simplified approach. Aims: Explain the concepts of immunological surveillance Discuss the basic tools used by the inflammatory cells and Discuss hypersensitivity reactions to explain the different ways the immune response can work. Discussion: General The immune system has been with us since we were unicellular organisms. It has developed for two main [...]
Education ~ Pathology case study 2
A 54-year-old male presents with a PSA of 16.2 and a firm slightly enlarged prostate. Diagnosis: Xanthogranulomatous inflammation of the prostate Discussion: This is a relatively unusual condition but is important to recognize. Clinically it often presents with a firm prostate associated with a high PSA. This may reach above 20. Prostatitis is a contentious area. [...]
RCPA recommendations for PSA testing
The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia have released a position statement statement on PSA testing for the diagnosis of prostate cancer in the latest edition of the journal ‘Pathology’ (McKenzie P, Delahunt B et al. Prostate specific antigen testing for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Pathology (Aug 2011); 43 (5): p403) . Important excerpts [...]
Proud sponsors of the APCC
TissuPath are proud to announce their sponsorship of the 12th Australasian Prostate Cancer Conference (APCC) to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from the 3-5th August 2011. As the largest provider of private uropathology in Victoria and active participants in both primary and collaborative research, the TissuPath pathologists feel strongly about supporting [...]
TissuPath research update – July 2011
TissuPath is committed to medical and scientific research. Here’s a brief synopsis of a few of our active projects; A new Australian ‘active surveillance’ nomogram for prostate cancer Dr Andrew Ryan and Professor John Mills have collaborated with Professor Ronnie Cohen at Uropath in Western Australia to create a new ‘active surveillance in prostate cancer’ [...]