* Mesothelioma Pathology

    Pathology, the process of evaluating tissues or blood, plays a significant role in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. A sample, often called a biopsy, will be taken from a tumor that is thought to be cancerous. The biopsy will be sent to a laboratory for inspection under a microscope. Pathologists visually and chemically analyze these samples to determine the exact type of disease a patient is dealing with. 

Mesothelioma Biopsy and Pathology

    When a biopsy is obtained to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis, pathology is used to determine whether the extracted cells are cancerous. After several small sections of a tumor have been extracted and sent to a pathologist, they will be examined for visual characteristics that indicate mesothelioma.

    Pathologists can look for certain biomarkers in biopsied tissue and blood samples. The presence or absence of proteins such as osteopontin and mesothelin can differentiate mesothelioma cells from healthy ones. Pathologists typically conduct the histopathological (visual) examination and the biomarker testing in the same sample to determine if the cells in question are malignant or benign.

Pathology Report

    After a pathological examination has been conducted on a tissue sample, a mesothelioma pathology report will be assembled and provided to the patient’s doctor. This document will include basic personal information and medical history as well as clinical descriptions that a patient may wish to discuss with his or her physician.

    A sample pathology report for a frozen specimen sample is provided in “Pathology of Malignant Mesothelioma.”This specimen report included patient information as well as details about the examination itself, including the date of the surgery, the date the laboratory received the sample for testing, and the time from surgery to examination at the lab. It also outlined information about the sample, such as its origin and what type of specimen it was. A microscopic report of the analyzed sample and a histological report that explained cell type and malignancy were also included.

    A mesothelioma pathology report may also include information about other related tests that were performed on the extracted tissue. Immunohistochemistry results and electron microscopy results may be added to the document along with a doctor’s original clinical diagnosis.

    Once an oncologist has reviewed a patient’s pathology report, they can then arrive at a final diagnosis. In the case of mesothelioma, doctors can interpret the pathology report to understand what type of cells make up the patient’s tumor and how it can best be treated. Although this document is primarily for clinical use, patients should request a copy for their own medical records.  

Malignant Mesothelioma Histopathology

    Doctors and pathologists use histopathology to more easily determine the type of mesothelioma. The medical staff first removes a tissue sample from the body, called a biopsy. They then examine the tissue samples under a microscope to identify the physical characteristics of the cells to establish whether mesothelioma cells are present amongst healthy cells.

    Cancer cells produce specific proteins that help identify the presence of tumors. These proteins are called oncoproteins. Doctors are able to easily differentiate cancerous cells from healthy cells in the mesothelium, the protective layer that surrounds the vital organs in the body. Medical professionals can also use histopathology to differentiate epithelial mesothelioma from mucin-producing adenocarcinoma.

Malignant Mesothelioma Immunohistochemistry

    Treatment options may be affected by the type of mesothelioma that is found throughimmunohistochemistry testing. Mesothelioma tumors are determined by three histological types, epithelial, biphasic and sarcomatoid. Immunohistochemistry involves the study of specific antibodies to proteins found in cancerous cells in order to diagnose the mesothelioma cell type.

    According to The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, immunopathology is a medical specialty where immunologists study the immune system’s relationship with the pathology of a disease. When doctors are examining potential cancer cells, they will inject staining agents into the cells in order to better identify the proteins that can determine which type of mesothelioma a patient has developed.

    Understanding a pathology report may be difficult. The Mesothelioma Center has Patient and Family Advocates that are well versed in helping patients through the sometimes complex medical process. To speak with a Patient and Family Advocate, please call (800) 615-2270

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