Pathology Report
A pathology report is drafted after a tissue sample is removed (
biopsy) and sent to a pathologist. The pathologist examines the tissue and prepares the report, which is used by the treating doctor to determine the best way to manage the condition (1). A patient is entitled to a copy of the pathology report, and this copy can be used when seeking a second opinion to explore
treatment options (2).
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The first part of the report lists the following information: a brief description of the patient; the type of biopsy that was performed; the clinical
diagnosis prior to testing; the area of the body where the biopsy was performed; a "gross description" of the sample (i.e., how it appears to the naked eye); and a technical description of the result of microscopic examination (1).
The main part of the report is a detailed diagnosis, which includes a description of the type of lung cancer and its stage, if known. It also indicates any lymph node involvement, and the tumor cell grade. The grade is a system of indicating how abnormal the tumor cells look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread) (1, 2).