Oncologic Pathology

Although patients rarely see their pathologist, this medical specialist plays a lead role in the diagnosis and management of cancer. Not only does a pathologist diagnose whether or not a person has cancer, but he or she also determines the stage of the cancer and the grade-or how aggressive a tumor may be. This information is essential in planning effective cancer treatment, as a patient with an aggressive or advanced tumor will most likely undergo more aggressive treatment, while patients with low-grade, early-stage tumors may not need high-dose radiation or chemotherapy.

At the Cancer Care Centers, a group of pathologists who are highly experienced in the diagnosis of cancer work collaboratively to provide the most accurate information possible, in each and every case. They are also committed to getting results to other team members and to patients fast, with 90 percent of all reports turned around within 24 hours of a biopsy.